Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Singapore Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Singapore

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Medellin vs $3,569 in Singapore, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,596 per month in Medellin vs $5,229 in Singapore, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,178 per month in Medellin vs $6,889 in Singapore, rent included.

Medellin is about 72% cheaper than Singapore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% below the global median, while Singapore is 165% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 COP 22.2K

$10.72 SGD 13.62

-42.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 COP 119.3K

$78.5 SGD 99.7

-57.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 COP 26.4K

$7.73 SGD 9.82

-5.30%

Cappuccino

$1.66 COP 5,987

$5.06 SGD 6.43

-67.19%

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

$1.10 COP 3,987

$1.71 SGD 2.17

-35.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,822

$1.23 SGD 1.56

-36.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 COP 6,188

$7.89 SGD 10.02

-78.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 11.5K

$9.27 SGD 11.78

-65.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 4,012

$3.08 SGD 3.91

-63.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,719

$2.31 SGD 2.93

-43.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,980

$2.82 SGD 3.58

-51.06%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 8,009

$3.30 SGD 4.19

-32.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 COP 15.7K

$19.14 SGD 24.31

-77.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.9K

$11.27 SGD 14.31

-48.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 COP 32.4K

$22.31 SGD 28.33

-59.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 COP 8,164

$4.53 SGD 5.76

-50.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,023

$2.88 SGD 3.66

-61.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 5,284

$4.84 SGD 6.15

-69.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,929

$2.74 SGD 3.49

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,009

$2.43 SGD 3.08

-54.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,199

$2.23 SGD 2.84

-47.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,211

$2.06 SGD 2.61

-56.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 3,124

$1.57 SGD 1.99

-44.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,495

$13.11 SGD 16.65

-82.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 COP 39.2K

$25.36 SGD 32.21

-57.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,330

$4.22 SGD 5.36

-71.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,946

$5.04 SGD 6.40

-50.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,842

$1.60 SGD 2.04

-50.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 147.2K

$93.4 SGD 119

-56.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,137

$3.66 SGD 4.65

-61.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,900

$0.76 SGD 0.96

151.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 COP 27.6K

$16.14 SGD 20.49

-52.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,490

$2.18 SGD 2.76

-55.50%

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

$18.1K COP 65.3M

$140.6K SGD 178.6K

-87.13%

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

$26.3K COP 95.0M

$129.5K SGD 164.5K

-79.69%

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

$81.3 COP 293.5K

$159 SGD 202

-48.79%

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

$9.63 COP 34.8K

$18.22 SGD 23.13

-47.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 COP 88.0K

$37.77 SGD 47.97

-35.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.02 COP 93.9K

$120 SGD 153

-78.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.3K

$12.06 SGD 15.32

56.88%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 14.0K

$11.78 SGD 14.96

-66.98%

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

$304 COP 1.1M

$1,206 SGD 1,531

-74.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,902 COP 21.3M

$29.5K SGD 37.5K

-80.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 211.8K

$81.4 SGD 103

-27.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.48 COP 117.2K

$43.54 SGD 55.3

-25.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 367.3K

$106 SGD 134

-3.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 390.4K

$131 SGD 167

-17.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 COP 1.7M

$3,189 SGD 4,050

-85.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$2,288 SGD 2,906

-83.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 COP 3.1M

$6,085 SGD 7,728

-86.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$3,740 SGD 4,750

-80.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 COP 10.4M

$23.4K SGD 29.7K

-87.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 COP 5.0M

$16.5K SGD 21.0K

-91.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 COP 2.0M

$4,293 SGD 5,452

-87.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.19

321.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Last update for Singapore: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Medellin versus $3,189 in Singapore. 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 693% higher in Singapore, 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 in Medellin versus $78 in Singapore. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $453 – 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 Singapore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Singapore is pricier by about 252%, 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 $1,522 per month in Medellin and $5,353 in Singapore. 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 $78.0 in Singapore. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,014 in Medellin and $3,569 in Singapore. 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 $1,014, than in Singapore at $3,569. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Singapore 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Singapore makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.