Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and St Francis Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and St Francis Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,017 in St Francis Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,580 in St Francis Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,143 in St Francis Bay, rent included.

Medellin is about 1% cheaper than St Francis Bay, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and St Francis Bay are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, St Francis Bay 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$8.64 R 142

-31.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$33.34 R 549

-1.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.94 R 81.4

50.40%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.11 R 34.73

-21.80%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.02 R 16.86

7.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.78 R 12.78

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.31 R 37.95

-25.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.59 R 42.62

22.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.14 R 18.84

-3.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.05 R 17.29

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.57 R 25.80

-12.10%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.39 R 39.32

-8.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$7.92 R 130

-43.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.63 R 76.3

25.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$6.76 R 111

32.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.66 R 27.40

39.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.52 R 25.02

-30.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.48 R 24.30

2.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.65 R 27.18

-17.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.37 R 22.54

-17.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.22 R 20.11

-4.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.09 R 17.90

-17.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.90 R 14.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.77 R 45.60

-19.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$4.65 R 76.5

160.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.34 R 22.05

-11.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.72 R 28.35

44.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$1.67 R 27.54

-49.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.09 R 18.00

30.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.91 R 14.97

114.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$3.98 R 65.6

98.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.27 R 20.97

-22.05%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$21.6K R 356.2K

-18.65%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$23.4K R 385.8K

14.35%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$118 R 1,944

-29.71%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$34.99 R 576

-72.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$41.92 R 690

-43.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$30.80 R 507

-17.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$10.99 R 181

73.79%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.55 R 108

-39.69%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$195 R 3,203

62.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,292 R 70.7K

39.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$51.0 R 839

17.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$31.75 R 523

0.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$89.4 R 1,472

13.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$79.5 R 1,309

35.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$360 R 5,923

31.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$339 R 5,580

10.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$682 R 11.2K

24.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$693 R 11.4K

3.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$755 R 12.4K

332.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$645 R 10.6K

123.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.51

16.68%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for St Francis Bay: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $360 in St Francis Bay. 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 $33.00 in St Francis Bay. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $178 in St Francis Bay – so St Francis Bay wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 St Francis Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – St Francis Bay is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. 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 $1,525 in St Francis Bay. 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 $33.00 in St Francis Bay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in St Francis Bay – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in St Francis Bay at $1,017. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in St Francis Bay 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, St Francis Bay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.