Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sin el Fil Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sin el Fil

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,112 in Sin el Fil, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,730 in Sin el Fil, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,348 in Sin el Fil, rent included.

Medellin is about 9% cheaper than Sin el Fil, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Sin el Fil are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Sin el Fil 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$10.65 LBP 953.5K

-44.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$49.34 LBP 4.4M

-32.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.91 LBP 707.5K

-8.60%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.96 LBP 265.1K

-44.93%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.63 LBP 145.8K

-33.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.93 LBP 83.4K

-21.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$3.51 LBP 314.5K

-50.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$5.10 LBP 456.5K

-36.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.73 LBP 155.1K

-39.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.85 LBP 75.8K

51.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.81 LBP 162.4K

-27.07%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$3.11 LBP 278.5K

-27.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.18 LBP 732.0K

-46.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$9.61 LBP 859.9K

-38.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$11.64 LBP 1.0M

-26.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.75 LBP 157.1K

28.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.45 LBP 130.0K

-26.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.13 LBP 101.2K

34.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.09 LBP 97.6K

30.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.01 LBP 90.8K

15.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.03 LBP 92.6K

13.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.89 LBP 79.3K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.51 LBP 46.0K

76.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.53 LBP 226.7K

-11.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$10.09 LBP 902.9K

9.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.23 LBP 109.8K

-7.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.20 LBP 196.5K

8.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$4.95 LBP 443.0K

-71.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.23 LBP 109.8K

54.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$20.16 LBP 1.8M

-61.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.91 LBP 81.1K

10.99%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$35.6K LBP 3.2B

-50.60%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$28.0K LBP 2.5B

-5.35%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$211 LBP 18.9M

-60.36%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$37.87 LBP 3.4M

-75.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$36.48 LBP 3.3M

-33.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$29.84 LBP 2.7M

-15.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$9.86 LBP 882.9K

94.12%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$8.09 LBP 724.0K

-49.32%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$299 LBP 26.8M

4.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,428 LBP 396.3M

35.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$71.2 LBP 6.4M

-18.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$45.15 LBP 4.0M

-27.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$98.1 LBP 8.8M

1.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$71.3 LBP 6.4M

52.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$300 LBP 26.9M

60.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$247 LBP 22.1M

53.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$986 LBP 88.3M

-15.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$499 LBP 44.7M

44.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.16

20.34%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sin el Fil: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $300 in Sin el Fil. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $49.00 in Sin el Fil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $226 – 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 Sin el Fil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sin el Fil is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,668 in Sin el Fil. 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 $49.00 in Sin el Fil. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Sin el Fil, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Sin el Fil at $1,112. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sin el Fil 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, Sin el Fil makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.