Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Croix and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Croix and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,890 per month in Saint Croix vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,054 per month in Saint Croix vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,218 per month in Saint Croix vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Saint Croix costs about 184% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Saint Croix sits 115% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$40.43 $40.43

$5.95 COP 21.2K

579.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$138 $138

$33.33 COP 118.9K

312.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 $9.96

$7.23 COP 25.8K

37.76%

Cappuccino

$7.68 $7.68

$1.63 COP 5,811

371.17%

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

$3.20 $3.20

$1.09 COP 3,904

193.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$0.73 COP 2,604

238.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 $5.01

$1.74 COP 6,197

187.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 $5.95

$3.23 COP 11.5K

84.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.05 COP 3,742

202.86%

White Bread (500g)

$5.57 $5.57

$1.29 COP 4,614

331.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.17 $7.17

$1.32 COP 4,718

443.18%

Eggs

$7.34 $7.34

$2.27 COP 8,101

223.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.86 $15.86

$4.35 COP 15.5K

264.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.0K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.80 $19.80

$8.61 COP 30.7K

129.97%

Apples (1kg)

$7.99 $7.99

$2.25 COP 8,015

255.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.07 COP 3,814

116.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$1.52 COP 5,438

192.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.64 $6.64

$1.42 COP 5,073

367.61%

Potato (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$1.17 COP 4,173

214.53%

Onion (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$1.17 COP 4,166

284.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.34 $4.34

$0.89 COP 3,163

387.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 $3.10

$0.90 COP 3,215

244.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,008

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,063

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.08 $6.08

$2.38 COP 8,483

155.46%

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)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.90 COP 6,779

-19.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.96 $14.96

$7.75 COP 27.6K

93.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.01 COP 3,586

24.75%

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

$34.7K $34.7K

$17.6K COP 62.7M

97.15%

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

$45.2K $45.2K

$26.5K COP 94.5M

70.54%

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

$333 $333

$83.7 COP 298.4K

297.96%

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

$9.45 COP 33.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$95.8 $95.8

$24.11 COP 86.0K

297.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 $112

$25.31 COP 90.3K

341.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 $12.92

$4.10 COP 14.6K

215.12%

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

$1,066 $1,066

$312 COP 1.1M

241.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K $10.8K

$5,993 COP 21.4M

79.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.96 $49.96

$58.0 COP 207.0K

-13.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.28 $25.28

$32.56 COP 116.1K

-22.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 $92.0

$99.6 COP 355.3K

-7.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 $99.8

$109 COP 387.1K

-8.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,700 $1,700

$482 COP 1.7M

252.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,176 $1,176

$379 COP 1.4M

209.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,849 $2,849

$837 COP 3.0M

240.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,493 $3,493

$723 COP 2.6M

383.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

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 %)

5.65

13.43

-57.93%

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

Last update for Saint Croix: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,700 in Saint Croix versus $482 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 $138 in Saint Croix versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $444 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

Saint Croix vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saint Croix is pricier by about 184%, 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 $4,335 per month in Saint Croix and $1,525 in Medellin. 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 $138 in Saint Croix 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 134% more in Saint Croix, 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 Saint Croix at $2,890. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint Croix 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, Saint Croix makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.