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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $3,651 in Singapore, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $5,223 in Singapore, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $6,796 in Singapore, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Singapore is 172% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$10.73 SGD 13.78

-44.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$78.5 SGD 101

-58.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$7.88 SGD 10.13

-10.03%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$4.92 SGD 6.32

-65.24%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$1.63 SGD 2.10

-32.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$1.23 SGD 1.58

-36.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$7.85 SGD 10.08

-78.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$9.61 SGD 12.34

-68.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$3.07 SGD 3.95

-64.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$2.41 SGD 3.10

-47.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$2.81 SGD 3.61

-50.89%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$3.37 SGD 4.34

-35.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$19.34 SGD 24.85

-77.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$11.36 SGD 14.59

-50.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$22.95 SGD 29.49

-61.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$4.52 SGD 5.81

-48.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$2.94 SGD 3.78

-63.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$4.86 SGD 6.25

-69.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$2.63 SGD 3.38

-47.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$2.47 SGD 3.18

-53.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$2.16 SGD 2.78

-46.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$2.01 SGD 2.58

-55.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$1.51 SGD 1.94

-44.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$13.24 SGD 17.01

-82.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$25.27 SGD 32.47

-57.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$4.31 SGD 5.54

-72.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$5.20 SGD 6.68

-52.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$1.58 SGD 2.03

-45.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$93.7 SGD 120

-55.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$3.51 SGD 4.50

-58.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$0.77 SGD 1.00

154.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$16.11 SGD 20.70

-51.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$2.20 SGD 2.82

-56.82%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$142.1K SGD 182.6K

-87.25%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$129.1K SGD 165.9K

-79.49%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$160 SGD 205

-48.57%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$18.36 SGD 23.58

-48.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$36.57 SGD 46.98

-33.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$117 SGD 150

-77.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$12.39 SGD 15.92

53.35%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$11.65 SGD 14.97

-66.27%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$1,184 SGD 1,521

-73.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$29.9K SGD 38.4K

-80.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$82.2 SGD 106

-28.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$43.04 SGD 55.3

-24.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$107 SGD 138

-4.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$131 SGD 168

-17.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$3,101 SGD 3,984

-84.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$2,280 SGD 2,929

-83.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$6,201 SGD 7,967

-86.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$3,793 SGD 4,873

-80.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$23.5K SGD 30.2K

-88.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$16.5K SGD 21.2K

-92.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$4,285 SGD 5,505

-88.06%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Singapore: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $3,101 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 737% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $78.0 in Singapore. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $457 – 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 260%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $5,477 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $3,651 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 $1,013, than in Singapore at $3,651. 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.