Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and St. Thomas Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and St. Thomas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $2,344 in St. Thomas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $3,407 in St. Thomas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $4,471 in St. Thomas, rent included.

Medellin is about 27% cheaper than St. Thomas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and St. Thomas sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, St. Thomas by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$21.89 CA$30.19

-63.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$64.2 CA$88.6

-24.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$11.39 CA$15.71

-14.22%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$3.39 CA$4.68

-14.16%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$2.22 CA$3.06

-12.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$1.56 CA$2.15

-2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$5.13 CA$7.07

-39.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$6.18 CA$8.53

-7.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$2.18 CA$3.01

-37.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$2.66 CA$3.67

-10.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$3.86 CA$5.32

-55.96%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$3.30 CA$4.55

-13.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$9.52 CA$13.13

4.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$16.10 CA$22.20

-33.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$19.55 CA$26.96

-24.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$3.92 CA$5.41

4.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$1.33 CA$1.83

18.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$3.68 CA$5.08

-42.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$4.00 CA$5.52

-44.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$3.40 CA$4.68

-39.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$2.94 CA$4.05

-48.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$2.98 CA$4.11

-60.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$1.56 CA$2.16

-25.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$11.06 CA$15.25

-64.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$12.58 CA$17.35

14.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$2.51 CA$3.46

-37.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$2.85 CA$3.92

-0.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$2.50 CA$3.45

-53.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

$71.3 CA$98.4

8.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$2.49 CA$3.43

-48.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$1.71 CA$2.36

22.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$22.91 CA$31.59

-62.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$1.15 CA$1.58

13.04%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$28.1K CA$38.7K

-1.49%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$20.8K CA$28.7K

70.51%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$125 CA$173

40.72%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$44.17 CA$60.9

-69.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$56.4 CA$77.8

-47.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$36.00 CA$49.65

24.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

$18.70 CA$25.78

-8.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$10.95 CA$15.10

-43.38%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$424 CA$585

86.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$17.5K CA$24.1K

-48.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$53.5 CA$73.8

59.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$37.33 CA$51.5

56.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$82.5 CA$114

65.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$91.2 CA$126

13.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$1,187 CA$1,637

-10.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$1,084 CA$1,494

-37.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$2,020 CA$2,785

-0.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$1,980 CA$2,731

-40.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$4,287 CA$5,912

-4.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$3,655 CA$5,041

-53.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$3,073 CA$4,237

-78.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.99

119.24%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for St. Thomas: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $1,187 in St. Thomas. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 362% higher in St. Thomas, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $64.0 in St. Thomas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $397 – 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. Thomas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – St. Thomas is pricier by about 37%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $3,515 in St. Thomas. 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 $64.0 in St. Thomas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,716 in Medellin and $2,344 in St. Thomas. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in St. Thomas at $2,344. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in St. Thomas 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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, St. Thomas makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.