Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Southern Cross Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Southern Cross

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,555 per month in Medellin vs $2,511 in Southern Cross, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,314 per month in Medellin vs $3,622 in Southern Cross, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,072 per month in Medellin vs $4,734 in Southern Cross, rent included.

Medellin is about 38% cheaper than Southern Cross, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Southern Cross sit above the global median – Medellin by 15%, Southern Cross by 86%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.59 COP 25.5K

$19.46 A$27.73

-61.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.78 COP 150.6K

$62.0 A$88.4

-27.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 COP 31.1K

$9.10 A$12.97

1.54%

Cappuccino

$2.95 COP 9,912

$3.52 A$5.02

-16.19%

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

$1.80 COP 6,057

$2.41 A$3.44

-25.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 COP 4,538

$1.81 A$2.58

-25.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 COP 9,863

$7.18 A$10.23

-59.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 COP 18.4K

$8.37 A$11.92

-34.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 COP 4,819

$1.62 A$2.31

-11.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 8,045

$2.67 A$3.80

-10.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,383

$2.16 A$3.08

-25.93%

Eggs

$2.88 COP 9,678

$2.73 A$3.89

5.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 COP 32.7K

$9.63 A$13.72

0.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 COP 31.7K

$9.14 A$13.02

3.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 COP 44.5K

$14.39 A$20.50

-7.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 COP 12.6K

$3.68 A$5.24

1.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 COP 4,860

$3.01 A$4.29

-51.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 COP 7,058

$3.33 A$4.74

-36.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 COP 7,162

$4.68 A$6.68

-54.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 COP 6,469

$2.62 A$3.74

-26.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,150

$2.47 A$3.52

-38.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 COP 3,668

$2.46 A$3.50

-55.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 COP 3,972

$1.65 A$2.34

-28.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 COP 12.7K

$35.24 A$50.2

-89.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.16 COP 44.3K

$14.19 A$20.23

-7.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 COP 5,516

$4.70 A$6.70

-65.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 COP 7,658

$5.23 A$7.46

-56.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,953

$3.30 A$4.71

-64.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 COP 247.5K

$91.6 A$131

-19.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,296

$3.87 A$5.52

-66.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 COP 6,649

$1.72 A$2.44

15.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 26.5K

$43.94 A$62.6

-82.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 COP 4,352

$1.27 A$1.81

1.57%

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

$26.8K COP 90.1M

$23.9K A$34.0K

12.16%

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

$34.7K COP 116.7M

$33.6K A$47.9K

3.25%

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

$158 COP 530.8K

$209 A$298

-24.48%

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

$13.39 COP 45.0K

$28.09 A$40.02

-52.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.28 COP 91.7K

$56.1 A$80.0

-51.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.15 COP 148.5K

$61.9 A$88.2

-28.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.99 COP 53.8K

$17.26 A$24.59

-7.36%

Cinema Ticket

$6.39 COP 21.5K

$14.48 A$20.63

-55.87%

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

$777 COP 2.6M

$2,185 A$3,113

-64.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,800 COP 29.6M

$19.6K A$27.9K

-55.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.7 COP 278.2K

$67.4 A$96.0

22.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 COP 188.7K

$61.9 A$88.2

-9.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 COP 440.0K

$119 A$169

10.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 COP 322.5K

$108 A$153

-10.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 COP 3.4M

$1,477 A$2,104

-31.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 COP 2.1M

$1,292 A$1,841

-51.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 COP 6.1M

$1,902 A$2,710

-3.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$969 COP 3.3M

$2,046 A$2,915

-52.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,907 COP 13.1M

$5,744 A$8,185

-31.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,576 COP 5.3M

$4,999 A$7,122

-68.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$620 COP 2.1M

$7,056 A$10.1K

-91.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.25

75.04%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 28, 2026

Last update for Southern Cross: September 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Medellin versus $1,477 in Southern Cross. 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 1038% higher in Southern Cross, 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $62.0 in Southern Cross. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $358 – 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 Southern Cross: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Southern Cross is pricier by about 61%, 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 $2,333 per month in Medellin and $3,766 in Southern Cross. 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $62.0 in Southern Cross. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,555 in Medellin and $2,511 in Southern Cross. 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 $1,555, than in Southern Cross at $2,511. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Southern Cross 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, Southern Cross makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.