Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and St Lawrence Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and St Lawrence

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $3,422 in St Lawrence, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $5,012 in St Lawrence, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $6,603 in St Lawrence, rent included.

Medellin is about 70% cheaper than St Lawrence, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while St Lawrence is 155% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$20.45 JEP 15.26

-70.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$67.3 JEP 50.2

-50.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$10.82 JEP 8.07

-33.18%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$4.15 JEP 3.09

-60.72%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.32 JEP 0.99

-17.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.34 JEP 1.00

-45.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$4.12 JEP 3.08

-57.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$6.61 JEP 4.93

-51.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.76 JEP 1.32

-40.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$2.00 JEP 1.49

-35.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.09 JEP 1.56

-36.84%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$5.41 JEP 4.04

-58.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$4.04 JEP 3.01

7.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$11.63 JEP 8.68

-49.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$6.99 JEP 5.22

23.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$4.06 JEP 3.03

-44.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.06 JEP 1.54

-48.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$3.37 JEP 2.51

-54.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$4.14 JEP 3.09

-65.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$3.94 JEP 2.94

-70.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.79 JEP 2.08

-58.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$2.00 JEP 1.49

-55.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.59 JEP 1.19

-43.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$11.68 JEP 8.71

-80.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$10.58 JEP 7.89

4.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$4.01 JEP 2.99

-71.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$6.81 JEP 5.08

-65.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$3.33 JEP 2.49

-74.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$71.8 JEP 53.5

-41.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$5.97 JEP 4.45

-76.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$3.99 JEP 2.98

-52.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.68 JEP 2.00

189.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$2.10 JEP 1.56

-51.90%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$22.3K JEP 16.7K

-21.25%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$34.3K JEP 25.6K

-22.71%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$138 JEP 103

-39.47%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$25.45 JEP 18.98

-62.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$68.4 JEP 51.0

-64.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$86.7 JEP 64.6

-70.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$20.53 JEP 15.31

-6.77%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$14.91 JEP 11.12

-72.50%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$2,018 JEP 1,505

-84.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$16.9K JEP 12.6K

-64.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$94.6 JEP 70.6

-38.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$47.59 JEP 35.50

-31.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$125 JEP 93.3

-20.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$136 JEP 101

-20.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$1,931 JEP 1,441

-75.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$2,085 JEP 1,555

-81.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$3,453 JEP 2,576

-75.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$3,770 JEP 2,813

-80.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

2.75

388.36%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for St Lawrence: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $1,931 in St Lawrence. 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 $67.0 in St Lawrence. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $325 – 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 St Lawrence: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – St Lawrence is pricier by about 237%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $5,133 in St Lawrence. 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 $67.0 in St Lawrence. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $3,422 in St Lawrence. 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 $1,017, than in St Lawrence at $3,422. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in St Lawrence 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 Lawrence makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.