Cost of Living Comparison Between Sabana Grande and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Sabana Grande and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,439 per month in Sabana Grande vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,176 per month in Sabana Grande vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,914 per month in Sabana Grande vs $2,200 in Medellin, rent included.

Sabana Grande costs about 41% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sabana Grande sits 8% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.94 $18.94

$5.93 COP 19.1K

219.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.8 $79.8

$33.12 COP 106.5K

140.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.63 $9.63

$7.12 COP 22.9K

35.25%

Cappuccino

$3.49 $3.49

$1.71 COP 5,484

104.09%

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

$1.78 $1.78

$1.05 COP 3,373

69.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 $1.44

$0.72 COP 2,323

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.72 COP 5,529

79.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 $4.58

$3.17 COP 10.2K

44.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.06 COP 3,425

130.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 $3.40

$1.31 COP 4,213

159.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.33 COP 4,277

64.66%

Eggs

$5.89 $5.89

$2.28 COP 7,334

158.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.75 $8.75

$4.42 COP 14.2K

97.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.67 $8.67

$5.92 COP 19.0K

46.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.57 $12.57

$8.64 COP 27.8K

45.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.90 $5.90

$2.34 COP 7,541

152.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.10 COP 3,544

138.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$1.47 COP 4,721

159.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 $4.17

$1.38 COP 4,437

202.17%

Potato (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$1.17 COP 3,772

243.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.17 COP 3,763

152.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 $3.08

$0.90 COP 2,904

242.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.84 COP 2,707

130.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.09 $12.09

$2.33 COP 7,486

418.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.53 $15.53

$11.92 COP 38.3K

30.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.15 COP 3,692

120.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 $3.22

$2.42 COP 7,787

33.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,700

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,539

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.91 COP 6,157

-22.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.90 $14.90

$7.83 COP 25.2K

90.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.94 COP 3,035

5.32%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$17.8K COP 57.3M

101.22%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$27.1K COP 87.1M

-1.31%

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

$487 $487

$83.3 COP 267.8K

484.34%

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

$78.9 $78.9

$9.66 COP 31.1K

716.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$24.22 COP 77.9K

201.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

Cinema Ticket

$11.82 $11.82

$4.07 COP 13.1K

190.42%

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

$465 $465

$307 COP 986.0K

51.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K $10.5K

$5,981 COP 19.2M

74.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.71 $46.71

$60.0 COP 192.8K

-22.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 $56.7

$32.65 COP 105.0K

73.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.8 $92.8

$101 COP 325.1K

-8.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$108 COP 347.5K

-2.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,811 $1,811

$816 COP 2.6M

121.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

13.43

-57.48%

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

Last update for Sabana Grande: July 21, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Sabana Grande versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $192 – 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

Sabana Grande vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sabana Grande is pricier by about 41%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,159 per month in Sabana Grande and $1,527 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Sabana Grande and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 99% more in Sabana Grande, 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 $1,018, than in Sabana Grande at $1,439. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sabana Grande 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, Sabana Grande makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.