Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sarande Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sarande

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $1,295 in Sarande, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $2,215 in Sarande, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $3,136 in Sarande, rent included.

Medellin is about 21% cheaper than Sarande, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Sarande are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Sarande 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$11.93 ALL 979

-49.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$59.4 ALL 4,874

-44.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$9.22 ALL 756

-19.52%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$2.05 ALL 168

-19.51%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$1.88 ALL 154

-43.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$0.99 ALL 80.8

-23.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$2.98 ALL 245

-42.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$3.43 ALL 282

-6.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$2.15 ALL 176

-51.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$1.09 ALL 89.1

20.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$2.16 ALL 178

-37.96%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$3.93 ALL 322

-44.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$13.17 ALL 1,081

-66.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$7.83 ALL 642

-27.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$15.91 ALL 1,305

-46.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$1.75 ALL 144

33.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$2.67 ALL 219

-58.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$2.05 ALL 169

-25.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$1.98 ALL 163

-30.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$1.32 ALL 108

-12.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$1.32 ALL 108

-10.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$1.50 ALL 123

-44.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$0.80 ALL 65.6

7.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$4.19 ALL 344

-46.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$6.53 ALL 536

77.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$1.63 ALL 134

-26.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$2.16 ALL 177

14.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

$1.16 ALL 95.5

-31.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

$22.71 ALL 1,863

79.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$3.57 ALL 293

-58.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$3.11 ALL 255

-38.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$17.36 ALL 1,424

-55.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$2.06 ALL 169

-50.97%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$34.3K ALL 2.8M

-48.45%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$28.8K ALL 2.4M

-8.29%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$104 ALL 8,500

-21.72%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$17.85 ALL 1,465

-47.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$18.74 ALL 1,538

27.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

$89.1 ALL 7,309

-70.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

$40.80 ALL 3,348

-54.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$9.25 ALL 759

-55.78%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$292 ALL 23.9K

7.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$5,518 ALL 452.8K

9.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$69.1 ALL 5,667

-13.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$49.46 ALL 4,058

-35.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$109 ALL 8,930

-7.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$129 ALL 10.6K

-18.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$867 ALL 71.1K

-44.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$380 ALL 31.2K

-4.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$1,111 ALL 91.1K

-25.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$935 ALL 76.7K

-21.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$4,726 ALL 387.7K

-36.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$2,993 ALL 245.6K

-56.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$788 ALL 64.6K

-30.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.52

143.30%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Sarande: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $867 in Sarande. 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 43% higher in Sarande, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $59.0 in Sarande. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $274 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Sarande: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sarande is pricier by about 26%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,942 in Sarande. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $59.0 in Sarande. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,028 in Medellin and $1,295 in Sarande. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,028, than in Sarande at $1,295. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sarande it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sarande makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.