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 $2,840 per month in Saint Croix vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,130 per month in Saint Croix vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,420 per month in Saint Croix vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Saint Croix costs about 183% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Saint Croix sits 113% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$40.46 $40.46

$5.91 COP 18.9K

584.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$138 $138

$32.96 COP 105.2K

318.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.17 $10.17

$7.43 COP 23.7K

36.88%

Cappuccino

$7.53 $7.53

$1.65 COP 5,276

356.36%

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

$3.14 $3.14

$1.10 COP 3,514

185.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$0.78 COP 2,491

207.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 $4.87

$1.72 COP 5,484

183.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 $6.06

$3.18 COP 10.1K

90.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.10 COP 3,521

177.27%

White Bread (500g)

$5.72 $5.72

$1.26 COP 4,015

353.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.18 $7.18

$1.38 COP 4,407

420.29%

Eggs

$7.29 $7.29

$2.18 COP 6,950

234.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.27 $16.27

$4.49 COP 14.3K

262.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.67 $19.67

$8.97 COP 28.6K

119.29%

Apples (1kg)

$8.06 $8.06

$2.32 COP 7,405

247.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.06 COP 3,397

118.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$1.52 COP 4,838

184.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.75 $6.75

$1.36 COP 4,327

396.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$1.13 COP 3,599

234.51%

Onion (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$1.17 COP 3,738

270.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.28 $4.28

$0.90 COP 2,876

375.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$0.90 COP 2,861

248.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 $5.82

$2.48 COP 7,920

134.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.95 COP 6,223

-22.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.80 $14.80

$7.89 COP 25.2K

87.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.99 COP 3,160

28.28%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$17.6K COP 56.2M

98.86%

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

$44.9K $44.9K

$26.8K COP 85.5M

67.58%

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

$325 $325

$83.0 COP 264.9K

291.46%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$97.6 $97.6

$23.52 COP 75.0K

314.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$111 $111

$25.26 COP 80.6K

341.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$12.82 $12.82

$3.95 COP 12.6K

224.56%

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

$1,071 $1,071

$316 COP 1.0M

239.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K $10.7K

$5,975 COP 19.1M

78.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.87 $49.87

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-16.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.70 $24.70

$31.82 COP 101.5K

-22.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 $91.1

$102 COP 324.4K

-10.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.6 $99.6

$107 COP 342.8K

-7.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 $1,683

$475 COP 1.5M

254.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 $1,192

$374 COP 1.2M

218.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,839 $2,839

$849 COP 2.7M

234.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,477 $3,477

$719 COP 2.3M

383.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,683 in Saint Croix versus $475 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: $445 vs $193 – 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 183%, 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 $4,260 per month in Saint Croix and $1,504 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 130% 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 $1,003, than in Saint Croix at $2,840. 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.