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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,026 in St Francis Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,587 in St Francis Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,147 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 24% lower, St Francis Bay 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$8.40 R 136

-29.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$33.69 R 545

-1.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.98 R 80.4

45.18%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.03 R 32.79

-19.70%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.02 R 16.56

6.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.78 R 12.53

-6.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.27 R 36.65

-23.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.51 R 40.54

28.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.11 R 18.01

-5.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.05 R 17.04

22.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.61 R 26.04

-18.01%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.47 R 39.98

-8.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.91 R 128

-45.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.65 R 75.1

26.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$6.60 R 107

30.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.63 R 26.34

38.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.54 R 24.82

-30.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.49 R 24.08

2.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.65 R 26.63

-13.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.37 R 22.20

-14.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.18 R 19.13

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.06 R 17.11

-16.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.90 R 14.61

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.73 R 44.14

-17.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$4.79 R 77.5

130.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.37 R 22.21

-16.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.73 R 27.94

37.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.62 R 26.22

-48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.11 R 17.91

27.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.87 R 14.15

118.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$4.08 R 66.0

89.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.28 R 20.64

-21.09%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$21.1K R 341.0K

-16.65%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$24.3K R 392.5K

9.13%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$117 R 1,898

-28.71%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$34.91 R 564

-72.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$41.76 R 675

-42.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$30.43 R 492

-16.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$11.04 R 178

73.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.66 R 108

-38.44%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$193 R 3,124

61.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,316 R 69.8K

38.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$49.63 R 802

16.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$32.43 R 524

0.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$87.1 R 1,407

14.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$78.6 R 1,271

38.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$362 R 5,854

33.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$339 R 5,484

11.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$686 R 11.1K

22.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$697 R 11.3K

3.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$899 R 14.5K

215.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$709 R 11.5K

72.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for St Francis Bay: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $362 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 $34.00 in St Francis Bay. Groceries tell a different story – $190 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,539 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 $34.00 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 7% 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 $1,017, than in St Francis Bay at $1,026. 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.