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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,349 in Sarande, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,263 in Sarande, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $3,177 in Sarande, rent included.

Medellin costs about 25% more than Sarande, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Sarande is 1% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$10.27 ALL 814

-21.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$55.9 ALL 4,430

-14.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$11.16 ALL 885

-11.38%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$2.31 ALL 184

35.50%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$2.46 ALL 195

-22.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$1.15 ALL 91.3

31.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$3.71 ALL 294

-15.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$4.17 ALL 330

37.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$2.32 ALL 184

-37.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.27 ALL 101

96.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$2.39 ALL 190

-25.94%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$3.89 ALL 308

-23.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$13.55 ALL 1,074

-25.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$9.45 ALL 750

7.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$17.48 ALL 1,386

-18.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$2.03 ALL 161

103.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$2.58 ALL 204

-37.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$2.16 ALL 171

4.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.95 ALL 155

15.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.04 ALL 82.4

96.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.28 ALL 102

20.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.44 ALL 114

-18.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.82 ALL 64.9

59.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$5.06 ALL 401

-22.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$7.33 ALL 581

91.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.74 ALL 138

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.14 ALL 170

34.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$1.15 ALL 91.0

6.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$22.68 ALL 1,798

254.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$3.80 ALL 301

-65.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$3.70 ALL 294

-40.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$18.95 ALL 1,503

-54.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$2.24 ALL 178

-38.84%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$34.5K ALL 2.7M

-19.36%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$28.5K ALL 2.3M

25.59%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$102 ALL 8,100

73.57%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$19.14 ALL 1,518

-27.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$21.16 ALL 1,678

40.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$91.1 ALL 7,227

-50.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$41.85 ALL 3,318

-59.09%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$9.96 ALL 790

-33.23%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$307 ALL 24.4K

164.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$8,180 ALL 648.6K

12.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$71.4 ALL 5,664

25.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$47.52 ALL 3,768

24.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$123 ALL 9,756

12.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$117 ALL 9,266

-12.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$878 ALL 69.6K

20.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$385 ALL 30.5K

72.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$1,142 ALL 90.5K

65.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$939 ALL 74.4K

9.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$4,660 ALL 369.5K

-10.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$2,954 ALL 234.2K

-43.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$796 ALL 63.1K

-14.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.64

93.97%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Sarande: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $878 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 17% higher in Sarande, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $56.0 in Sarande. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $294 in Sarande – so Sarande 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 Sarande: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 25%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $2,023 in Sarande. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sarande, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $56.0 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $1,349 in Sarande. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sarande, where all-in costs run around $1,349, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Sarande it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sarande – 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 Sarande. 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.