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 $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,017 in Sin el Fil, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,592 in Sin el Fil, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,168 in Sin el Fil, rent included.

Medellin costs about 65% more than Sin el Fil, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Sin el Fil is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 24.9K

$12.12 LBP 1.1M

-33.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 148.7K

$64.0 LBP 5.7M

-25.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.7K

$9.97 LBP 892.7K

-0.80%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,724

$4.57 LBP 408.6K

-31.51%

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

$1.91 COP 5,928

$2.40 LBP 214.7K

-20.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,692

$0.81 LBP 72.7K

86.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,705

$5.14 LBP 460.3K

-39.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$5.06 LBP 452.7K

13.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,489

$1.96 LBP 175.4K

-26.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,725

$0.88 LBP 79.1K

182.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,510

$2.24 LBP 200.8K

-20.98%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,195

$3.67 LBP 328.2K

-19.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.3K

$13.53 LBP 1.2M

-25.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.4K

$10.76 LBP 963.1K

-5.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.4K

$14.22 LBP 1.3M

0.56%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.8K

$3.15 LBP 282.1K

31.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 4,997

$1.63 LBP 146.0K

-1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 6,976

$1.63 LBP 146.1K

38.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 6,997

$1.48 LBP 132.5K

52.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,347

$1.35 LBP 121.1K

51.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,769

$1.68 LBP 150.4K

-8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,635

$1.18 LBP 105.2K

-0.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,059

$0.74 LBP 66.2K

77.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.1K

$2.96 LBP 265.0K

31.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.5K

$9.98 LBP 893.0K

40.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,415

$1.32 LBP 118.5K

31.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,917

$2.55 LBP 228.2K

12.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,776

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 250.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,066

$5.08 LBP 454.6K

-74.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,796

$2.26 LBP 202.6K

-3.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.1K

$22.38 LBP 2.0M

-61.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,241

$1.04 LBP 92.9K

31.73%

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

$27.8K COP 86.5M

$54.3K LBP 4.9B

-48.72%

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

$35.8K COP 111.1M

$32.7K LBP 2.9B

9.38%

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

$177 COP 550.8K

$232 LBP 20.8M

-23.66%

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

$13.88 COP 43.1K

$23.10 LBP 2.1M

-39.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.4K

$38.31 LBP 3.4M

-22.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 139.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.2K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.6K

$9.86 LBP 882.9K

-32.56%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$687 LBP 61.5M

18.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.5M

$10.8K LBP 967.6M

-15.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 278.0K

$68.8 LBP 6.2M

30.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 183.2K

$48.68 LBP 4.4M

21.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 429.4K

$137 LBP 12.2M

0.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 317.3K

$121 LBP 10.8M

-15.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-0.55%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Sin el Fil: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $64.0 in Sin el Fil. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $281 in Sin el Fil – so Sin el Fil 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 Sin el Fil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 65%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. 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 $1,525 in Sin el Fil. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $64.0 in Sin el Fil. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sin el Fil, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Sin el Fil it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sin el Fil – 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 Sin el Fil. 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.