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 $1,443 per month in Sabana Grande vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,180 per month in Sabana Grande vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,916 per month in Sabana Grande vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Sabana Grande costs about 42% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sabana Grande sits 7% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.25 $19.25

$5.95 COP 21.2K

223.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.6 $80.6

$33.33 COP 118.9K

141.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 $9.85

$7.23 COP 25.8K

36.24%

Cappuccino

$3.50 $3.50

$1.63 COP 5,811

114.72%

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

$1.79 $1.79

$1.09 COP 3,904

64.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 $1.39

$0.73 COP 2,604

90.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.74 COP 6,197

70.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 $4.59

$3.23 COP 11.5K

42.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.05 COP 3,742

139.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.57 $3.57

$1.29 COP 4,614

176.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.32 COP 4,718

65.15%

Eggs

$6.07 $6.07

$2.27 COP 8,101

167.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.93 $8.93

$4.35 COP 15.5K

105.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.65 $8.65

$5.88 COP 21.0K

47.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.82 $12.82

$8.61 COP 30.7K

48.90%

Apples (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$2.25 COP 8,015

157.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.07 COP 3,814

153.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$1.52 COP 5,438

153.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.97 $3.97

$1.42 COP 5,073

179.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$1.17 COP 4,173

237.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.17 COP 4,166

158.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.10 $3.10

$0.89 COP 3,163

248.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$0.90 COP 3,215

114.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.98 $11.98

$2.25 COP 8,008

432.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.36 $15.36

$11.04 COP 39.4K

39.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.14 COP 4,063

126.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 $3.10

$2.38 COP 8,483

30.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,019

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.90 COP 6,779

-22.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.72 $14.72

$7.75 COP 27.6K

89.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.01 COP 3,586

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$17.6K COP 62.7M

101.82%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.5K COP 94.5M

-0.56%

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

$480 $480

$83.7 COP 298.4K

473.42%

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

$80.4 $80.4

$9.45 COP 33.7K

751.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.0 $73.0

$24.11 COP 86.0K

202.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$12.16 $12.16

$4.10 COP 14.6K

196.59%

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

$461 $461

$312 COP 1.1M

47.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K $10.4K

$5,993 COP 21.4M

73.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.00 $46.00

$58.0 COP 207.0K

-20.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 $55.8

$32.56 COP 116.1K

71.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 $92.7

$99.6 COP 355.3K

-6.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$109 COP 387.1K

-1.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,829 $1,829

$837 COP 3.0M

118.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$499 $499

$2,840 COP 10.1M

-82.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Sabana Grande versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $386 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 42%, 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 $2,164 per month in Sabana Grande and $1,525 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 104% 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 $1,017, than in Sabana Grande at $1,443. 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.