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 $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,120 in Sin el Fil, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,752 in Sin el Fil, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,383 in Sin el Fil, rent included.

Medellin is about 11% cheaper than Sin el Fil, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Sin el Fil are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Sin el Fil 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.4K

$10.71 LBP 958.4K

-44.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 102.7K

$49.16 LBP 4.4M

-32.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.1K

$7.92 LBP 709.2K

-6.19%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,153

$2.91 LBP 260.7K

-43.30%

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

$1.10 COP 3,432

$1.65 LBP 147.7K

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,433

$0.93 LBP 83.2K

-16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,356

$3.55 LBP 317.8K

-51.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 9,904

$5.10 LBP 456.4K

-37.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,439

$1.77 LBP 158.6K

-37.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,921

$0.79 LBP 70.3K

59.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,304

$1.84 LBP 165.0K

-25.00%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,788

$3.09 LBP 276.7K

-29.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.0K

$8.20 LBP 733.7K

-45.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.0K

$9.30 LBP 832.5K

-37.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 27.9K

$11.27 LBP 1.0M

-20.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,232

$1.81 LBP 161.6K

28.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,318

$1.53 LBP 137.4K

-30.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,725

$1.15 LBP 103.2K

32.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,226

$1.10 LBP 98.5K

23.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,515

$0.98 LBP 87.8K

15.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.03 LBP 92.2K

13.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,809

$0.82 LBP 73.3K

9.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,794

$0.51 LBP 46.0K

76.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 6,961

$2.47 LBP 220.7K

-9.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 37.8K

$9.98 LBP 893.1K

21.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,704

$1.29 LBP 115.4K

-7.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,735

$2.14 LBP 191.2K

15.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,660

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 129.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,413

$5.13 LBP 459.6K

-72.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,078

$1.24 LBP 110.7K

57.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.6K

$19.81 LBP 1.8M

-60.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,086

$0.94 LBP 84.4K

5.32%

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

$17.6K COP 54.8M

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

-49.43%

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

$26.8K COP 83.5M

$28.4K LBP 2.5B

-5.51%

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

$83.0 COP 258.7K

$215 LBP 19.3M

-61.42%

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

$9.70 COP 30.2K

$37.45 LBP 3.4M

-74.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 73.3K

$37.83 LBP 3.4M

-37.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 78.7K

$30.07 LBP 2.7M

-16.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 59.5K

$9.91 LBP 887.0K

92.73%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.3K

$7.90 LBP 707.1K

-50.00%

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

$316 COP 984.0K

$302 LBP 27.0M

4.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.6M

$4,436 LBP 397.0M

34.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 187.0K

$70.3 LBP 6.3M

-14.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 99.1K

$45.21 LBP 4.0M

-29.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 316.8K

$99.4 LBP 8.9M

2.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 334.8K

$71.1 LBP 6.4M

51.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$297 LBP 26.6M

59.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$246 LBP 22.0M

52.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.6M

$1,005 LBP 89.9M

-15.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.2M

$503 LBP 45.0M

43.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sin el Fil: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $297 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: $193 vs $224 – 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 12%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,680 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 16% 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 $1,003, than in Sin el Fil at $1,120. 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.