Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Todos Santos Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Todos Santos

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $1,119 in Todos Santos, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,781 in Todos Santos, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,444 in Todos Santos, rent included.

Medellin is about 8% cheaper than Todos Santos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Todos Santos are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Todos Santos 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$10.55 MX$183

-43.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$38.66 MX$670

-14.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$8.03 MX$139

-9.71%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$3.33 MX$57.7

-48.65%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$1.23 MX$21.39

-11.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$0.91 MX$15.77

-15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$2.41 MX$41.74

-27.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$3.88 MX$67.2

-18.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$1.45 MX$25.12

-26.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$2.53 MX$43.78

-48.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$1.56 MX$27.02

-11.54%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$2.38 MX$41.21

-7.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$8.27 MX$143

-45.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$8.09 MX$140

-28.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$10.48 MX$182

-14.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$2.59 MX$44.89

-11.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$1.41 MX$24.39

-24.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$1.77 MX$30.70

-14.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$1.57 MX$27.26

-13.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$1.92 MX$33.36

-39.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$1.91 MX$33.17

-38.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$1.21 MX$20.88

-31.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$0.98 MX$17.04

-13.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$4.25 MX$73.7

-44.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$10.92 MX$189

1.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$1.55 MX$26.90

-25.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$2.88 MX$49.83

-14.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$0.61 MX$10.59

29.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$2.54 MX$44.05

-43.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$1.56 MX$27.01

21.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$8.43 MX$146

-8.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$1.27 MX$21.96

-18.90%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$20.9K MX$362.1K

-15.36%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$22.1K MX$383.0K

22.25%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$56.5 MX$980

44.03%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$22.19 MX$385

-57.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$28.33 MX$491

-16.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$35.94 MX$623

-28.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

$16.06 MX$278

20.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$4.50 MX$78.0

-10.00%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$206 MX$3,568

51.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$3,529 MX$61.2K

71.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$52.2 MX$905

12.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$39.10 MX$678

-16.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$91.1 MX$1,579

10.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$79.9 MX$1,385

32.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$517 MX$8,962

-5.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$399 MX$6,915

-7.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$919 MX$15.9K

-8.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$758 MX$13.1K

-5.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$2,271 MX$39.4K

30.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$1,185 MX$20.5K

17.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.48

16.99%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Last update for Todos Santos: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $517 in Todos Santos. 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 in Medellin versus $39 in Todos Santos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $250 – 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 Todos Santos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Todos Santos is pricier by about 9%, 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 $1,544 per month in Medellin and $1,678 in Todos Santos. 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 $39.00 in Todos Santos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Todos Santos, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,030, than in Todos Santos at $1,119. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Todos Santos 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, Todos Santos makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.