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 $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $3,194 in St Lawrence, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $5,208 in St Lawrence, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $7,222 in St Lawrence, rent included.

Medellin is about 47% cheaper than St Lawrence, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and St Lawrence sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, St Lawrence by 133%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$40.02 JEP 29.69

-79.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$120 JEP 88.8

-59.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$10.85 JEP 8.05

-8.85%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$5.05 JEP 3.74

-38.02%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$3.31 JEP 2.46

-42.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$2.50 JEP 1.86

-39.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$8.02 JEP 5.95

-61.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$6.51 JEP 4.83

-11.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.26 JEP 1.67

-36.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.78 JEP 2.06

-10.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.68 JEP 1.99

-33.96%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$5.78 JEP 4.29

-48.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$7.27 JEP 5.39

38.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$11.92 JEP 8.84

-15.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$18.83 JEP 13.97

-24.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$4.21 JEP 3.12

-1.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$3.60 JEP 2.67

-55.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$4.14 JEP 3.07

-45.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$4.60 JEP 3.41

-51.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$3.21 JEP 2.38

-36.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$3.17 JEP 2.35

-51.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.90 JEP 1.41

-38.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$2.48 JEP 1.84

-47.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$20.23 JEP 15.01

-80.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$10.89 JEP 8.08

28.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$4.59 JEP 3.41

-62.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$7.91 JEP 5.87

-63.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$5.34 JEP 3.96

-75.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$2.46 JEP 1.82

-10.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$54.7 JEP 40.61

-84.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$2.14 JEP 1.59

-35.98%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$26.9K JEP 20.0K

3.41%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$37.2K JEP 27.6K

-3.92%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$330 JEP 245

-46.27%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$34.61 JEP 25.68

-59.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$73.0 JEP 54.1

-59.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$95.7 JEP 71.0

-53.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$20.15 JEP 14.95

-67.00%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$831 JEP 616

-2.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$12.2K JEP 9,074

-24.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$104 JEP 77.2

-13.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$73.2 JEP 54.3

-19.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$120 JEP 89.4

14.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$208 JEP 154

-50.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$1,738 JEP 1,290

-38.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,511 JEP 1,121

-56.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$4,107 JEP 3,047

-54.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$3,323 JEP 2,466

-69.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.08

168.14%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for St Lawrence: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,738 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $120 in St Lawrence. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $418 – 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 90%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $4,791 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $120 in St Lawrence. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% more in St Lawrence, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in St Lawrence at $3,194. 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.