Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sao Vicente Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sao Vicente

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $777 in Sao Vicente, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,276 in Sao Vicente, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,775 in Sao Vicente, rent included.

Medellin costs about 33% more than Sao Vicente, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Sao Vicente are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Sao Vicente 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.1K

$5.38 R$26.67

10.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.3K

$31.92 R$158

3.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$6.47 R$32.10

12.06%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,118

$1.74 R$8.65

-1.72%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,903

$1.25 R$6.21

-12.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,734

$0.83 R$4.11

-7.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,234

$1.81 R$9.00

-3.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$2.72 R$13.47

16.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,780

$1.01 R$5.01

4.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,643

$1.74 R$8.64

-25.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,911

$1.40 R$6.92

-1.43%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,883

$2.37 R$11.74

-6.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.1K

$10.99 R$54.5

-58.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$4.08 R$20.23

42.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.0K

$8.48 R$42.04

5.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,157

$1.79 R$8.86

27.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,779

$1.20 R$5.93

-11.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,394

$1.39 R$6.89

8.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,854

$1.72 R$8.54

-20.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,133

$1.31 R$6.49

-11.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,161

$1.37 R$6.81

-14.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,951

$0.97 R$4.79

-14.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,034

$0.94 R$4.65

-9.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,397

$1.75 R$8.69

34.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.6K

$7.64 R$37.90

45.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,120

$1.37 R$6.79

-16.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,826

$2.06 R$10.20

19.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,818

$0.93 R$4.60

-15.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.3K

$38.09 R$189

9.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,124

$1.10 R$5.48

30.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,772

$0.63 R$3.10

201.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.5K

$7.69 R$38.13

0.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,669

$1.08 R$5.36

-4.63%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.7K COP 63.1M

$20.6K R$102.2K

-14.15%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.0K COP 96.4M

$28.0K R$138.9K

-3.52%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$81.4 COP 290.5K

$52.7 R$261

54.56%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.42 COP 33.6K

$16.04 R$79.6

-41.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 84.8K

$22.58 R$112

5.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.3K

$18.06 R$89.6

43.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.0K

$21.81 R$108

-11.33%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$7.27 R$36.06

-44.29%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$312 COP 1.1M

$280 R$1,389

11.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.6M

$8,086 R$40.1K

-24.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.0K

$46.85 R$232

25.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.1K

$39.11 R$194

-16.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 358.5K

$74.6 R$370

34.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 379.2K

$56.5 R$280

88.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.7M

$248 R$1,229

97.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$195 R$965

90.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$755 R$3,743

11.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$469 R$2,327

52.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.5M

$1,707 R$8,464

72.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$1,182 R$5,862

17.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

$395 R$1,958

34.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.21

19.80%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Last update for Sao Vicente: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $248 in Sao Vicente. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 35% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33 in Medellin versus $32 in Sao Vicente. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $200 in Sao Vicente – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Sao Vicente: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 33%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,544 per month in Medellin and $1,165 in Sao Vicente. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sao Vicente, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $32.00 in Sao Vicente. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,030 in Medellin and $777 in Sao Vicente. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sao Vicente, where all-in costs run around $777, than in Medellin at $1,030. In Sao Vicente it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sao Vicente – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Sao Vicente. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.