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 $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $3,351 in St Lawrence, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $4,927 in St Lawrence, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $6,503 in St Lawrence, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 25% below the global median, while St Lawrence is 152% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$20.76 JEP 15.43

-71.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$67.2 JEP 49.94

-50.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$11.05 JEP 8.21

-32.76%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$4.11 JEP 3.06

-59.85%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.35 JEP 1.00

-18.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$1.39 JEP 1.03

-43.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$4.14 JEP 3.07

-58.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$6.94 JEP 5.16

-54.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.71 JEP 1.27

-35.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.99 JEP 1.48

-36.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.00 JEP 1.49

-31.00%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$5.41 JEP 4.02

-59.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$4.11 JEP 3.05

9.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$12.00 JEP 8.91

-51.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$6.92 JEP 5.14

29.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$4.09 JEP 3.04

-43.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.06 JEP 1.53

-48.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$3.46 JEP 2.57

-56.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$4.29 JEP 3.19

-68.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$4.00 JEP 2.97

-71.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.70 JEP 2.00

-56.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$2.06 JEP 1.53

-56.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.64 JEP 1.22

-45.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$11.35 JEP 8.43

-80.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$10.76 JEP 8.00

12.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$4.04 JEP 3.00

-70.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$6.72 JEP 4.99

-63.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$3.42 JEP 2.54

-75.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$70.0 JEP 52.0

-40.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$6.08 JEP 4.52

-76.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$3.88 JEP 2.88

-49.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.75 JEP 2.04

186.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$2.00 JEP 1.49

-50.50%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$22.8K JEP 16.9K

-22.80%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$34.3K JEP 25.5K

-21.98%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$134 JEP 99.2

-37.83%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$24.87 JEP 18.48

-61.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$68.3 JEP 50.8

-65.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$89.9 JEP 66.8

-71.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$20.34 JEP 15.11

-6.10%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$14.96 JEP 11.12

-73.60%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$2,022 JEP 1,503

-84.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$16.9K JEP 12.6K

-64.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$96.6 JEP 71.8

-37.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$47.79 JEP 35.51

-33.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$125 JEP 93.2

-18.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$135 JEP 100

-20.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$1,887 JEP 1,402

-74.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$2,110 JEP 1,568

-82.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$3,454 JEP 2,566

-75.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$3,753 JEP 2,789

-80.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for St Lawrence: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $1,887 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: $193 vs $328 – 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 234%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $5,026 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $3,351 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 $1,003, than in St Lawrence at $3,351. 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.