Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Springs Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Springs

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,026 in Springs, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,641 in Springs, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,255 in Springs, rent included.

Medellin costs about 64% more than Springs, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Springs is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$9.23 R 151

-13.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$37.85 R 620

26.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$5.29 R 86.7

86.96%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.29 R 37.51

36.68%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.93 R 15.30

105.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.70 R 11.41

115.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.86 R 30.41

67.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.13 R 34.88

169.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.26 R 20.66

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.06 R 17.31

134.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.83 R 29.94

-3.28%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.64 R 43.19

12.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$8.31 R 136

21.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$5.07 R 83.0

99.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$7.38 R 121

93.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.30 R 21.22

218.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$0.97 R 15.97

65.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.20 R 19.72

87.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.15 R 18.82

95.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.16 R 18.96

75.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.24 R 20.29

24.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.22 R 19.91

-4.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.90 R 14.66

45.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.18 R 52.0

22.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$4.08 R 66.9

243.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.22 R 19.99

42.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.79 R 29.31

60.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$1.58 R 25.92

-22.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.32 R 5.32

309.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.79 R 12.96

177.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$15.10 R 247

-42.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.54 R 25.27

-11.04%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$37.3K R 610.8K

-25.35%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$34.0K R 557.3K

5.13%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$156 R 2,554

13.70%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$38.04 R 623

-63.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$36.34 R 595

-18.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$33.46 R 548

34.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$7.53 R 123

-11.69%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$92.9 R 1,521

775.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$5,745 R 94.1K

59.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$56.3 R 922

59.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$32.76 R 537

80.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$93.7 R 1,535

47.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$85.3 R 1,397

19.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$296 R 4,846

258.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$279 R 4,561

138.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$758 R 12.4K

149.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$713 R 11.7K

44.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$888 R 14.6K

370.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$708 R 11.6K

136.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,209 R 19.8K

-43.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

10.75

1.77%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Springs: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $296 in Springs. 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 78% higher in Springs, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $38.00 in Springs. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $176 – making Springs 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 Springs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 64%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,539 in Springs. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Springs, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $38.00 in Springs. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 73% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Springs, where all-in costs run around $1,026, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Springs it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Springs – 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 Springs. 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.