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 $1,473 per month in Sabana Grande vs $1,030 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,167 per month in Sabana Grande vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,860 per month in Sabana Grande vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Sabana Grande costs about 43% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sabana Grande sits 10% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.37 $19.37

$5.92 COP 21.2K

227.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.7 $80.7

$33.17 COP 118.7K

143.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.60 $9.60

$7.25 COP 25.9K

32.41%

Cappuccino

$3.54 $3.54

$1.71 COP 6,137

107.02%

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

$1.76 $1.76

$1.09 COP 3,915

61.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$0.77 COP 2,743

88.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.75 COP 6,254

76.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 $4.47

$3.18 COP 11.4K

40.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.06 COP 3,792

134.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.54 $3.54

$1.30 COP 4,657

172.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.38 COP 4,926

61.59%

Eggs

$6.04 $6.04

$2.21 COP 7,908

173.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.75 $8.75

$4.52 COP 16.2K

93.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.52 $8.52

$5.80 COP 20.7K

46.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.51 $12.51

$8.97 COP 32.1K

39.46%

Apples (1kg)

$5.97 $5.97

$2.29 COP 8,182

160.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.06 COP 3,791

157.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$1.51 COP 5,411

163.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$1.36 COP 4,869

202.21%

Potato (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$1.16 COP 4,146

252.59%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.17 COP 4,174

160.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 $2.97

$0.83 COP 2,960

257.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.85 COP 3,043

131.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.88 $11.88

$2.35 COP 8,423

405.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.70 $15.70

$11.09 COP 39.7K

41.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.15 COP 4,133

113.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.47 COP 8,853

31.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.90 COP 6,793

-22.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.09 $15.09

$7.70 COP 27.6K

95.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.03 COP 3,680

-7.77%

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

$36.3K $36.3K

$17.7K COP 63.3M

105.32%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$27.0K COP 96.7M

-1.36%

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

$495 $495

$81.4 COP 291.4K

508.13%

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

$79.1 $79.1

$9.42 COP 33.7K

739.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.3 $74.3

$23.77 COP 85.1K

212.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

Cinema Ticket

$11.77 $11.77

$4.05 COP 14.5K

190.62%

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

$470 $470

$312 COP 1.1M

50.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K $10.6K

$6,067 COP 21.7M

74.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.95 $45.95

$58.9 COP 210.7K

-21.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 $57.0

$32.82 COP 117.5K

73.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 $90.3

$100 COP 359.6K

-10.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$106 COP 380.3K

0.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,813 $1,813

$838 COP 3.0M

116.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$505 $505

$2,952 COP 10.6M

-82.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $0 in Sabana Grande versus $490 in Medellin. 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 $81 in Sabana Grande versus $33 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 vs $190 – 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 43%, 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 $2,210 per month in Sabana Grande and $1,544 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 $81.0 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 103% 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 $1,030, than in Sabana Grande at $1,473. 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.