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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,306 in Sarande, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $2,185 in Sarande, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $3,065 in Sarande, rent included.

Medellin is about 23% cheaper than Sarande, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Sarande are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Sarande 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$11.88 ALL 965

-50.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$58.4 ALL 4,743

-43.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$9.46 ALL 769

-21.46%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.03 ALL 165

-18.72%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.91 ALL 155

-42.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.93 ALL 75.2

-16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.92 ALL 237

-41.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.61 ALL 293

-11.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.06 ALL 167

-46.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.08 ALL 88.1

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.19 ALL 178

-36.99%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$3.83 ALL 311

-43.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$13.06 ALL 1,061

-65.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$7.80 ALL 634

-25.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$15.53 ALL 1,262

-42.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.78 ALL 144

30.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.73 ALL 222

-61.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.99 ALL 162

-23.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.00 ALL 162

-32.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.32 ALL 108

-14.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.27 ALL 103

-7.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.52 ALL 124

-40.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.78 ALL 63.6

15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$4.29 ALL 349

-48.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$6.51 ALL 529

86.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.58 ALL 129

-24.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.13 ALL 173

16.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$1.13 ALL 92.0

-24.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$23.21 ALL 1,885

79.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$3.63 ALL 295

-60.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$3.17 ALL 257

-38.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$17.38 ALL 1,412

-54.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$2.05 ALL 167

-51.71%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$34.3K ALL 2.8M

-48.68%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$29.4K ALL 2.4M

-8.70%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$101 ALL 8,166

-17.41%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$17.75 ALL 1,442

-45.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$18.79 ALL 1,526

25.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$89.2 ALL 7,249

-71.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$41.95 ALL 3,408

-54.47%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$9.56 ALL 777

-58.68%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$294 ALL 23.9K

7.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$5,526 ALL 449.0K

8.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$68.6 ALL 5,571

-12.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$50.8 ALL 4,130

-37.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$108 ALL 8,795

-6.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$129 ALL 10.5K

-16.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$871 ALL 70.8K

-45.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$386 ALL 31.3K

-3.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$1,116 ALL 90.7K

-23.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$931 ALL 75.6K

-22.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$4,516 ALL 366.9K

-27.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$2,843 ALL 231.0K

-49.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$769 ALL 62.5K

-18.81%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sarande: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $871 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 23% 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 $58.0 in Sarande. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $271 – 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 30%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,959 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 $58.0 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $1,306 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 $1,003, than in Sarande at $1,306. 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.