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 $844 per month in Saint Croix vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,716 per month in Saint Croix vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,587 per month in Saint Croix vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Saint Croix is about 49% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Saint Croix sits 39% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$39.60 $39.60

$8.04 COP 24.8K

392.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 $147

$48.29 COP 148.6K

204.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.93 $9.93

$9.42 COP 29.0K

5.41%

Cappuccino

$7.57 $7.57

$2.94 COP 9,040

157.48%

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

$3.20 $3.20

$1.86 COP 5,735

72.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.46 COP 4,479

103.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 $5.85

$3.21 COP 9,882

82.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 $8.20

$5.71 COP 17.6K

43.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.44 COP 4,428

71.53%

White Bread (500g)

$7.06 $7.06

$2.40 COP 7,389

194.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$10.99 $10.99

$1.70 COP 5,228

546.47%

Eggs

$8.43 $8.43

$2.89 COP 8,896

191.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.83 $21.83

$10.06 COP 30.9K

117.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

Apples (1kg)

$10.91 $10.91

$3.98 COP 12.3K

174.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.10 $6.10

$1.20 COP 3,701

408.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.36 COP 4,172

-27.94%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

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

$169 COP 519.2K

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,464 $2,464

$1,071 COP 3.3M

130.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Saint Croix: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,464 in Saint Croix versus $1,071 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 $147 in Saint Croix versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $317 vs $300 – 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 94%, 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 $1,266 per month in Saint Croix and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saint Croix, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $147 in Saint Croix and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Saint Croix, where all-in costs run around $844, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Saint Croix it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saint Croix – 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 Saint Croix. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.