Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint-Louis and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint-Louis and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $876 per month in Saint-Louis vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Saint-Louis vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Saint-Louis vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Saint-Louis is about 49% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Saint-Louis sits 36% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.48 F CFA 1,962

$8.03 COP 25.2K

-56.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.7 F CFA 31.4K

$48.26 COP 151.7K

15.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.74 F CFA 6,615

$9.77 COP 30.7K

20.16%

Cappuccino

$3.44 F CFA 1,940

$2.91 COP 9,149

18.21%

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

$1.25 F CFA 704

$1.94 COP 6,110

-35.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 F CFA 493

$1.52 COP 4,783

-42.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 F CFA 1,033

$3.09 COP 9,721

-40.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 F CFA 2,478

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-23.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.78 F CFA 1,568

$1.36 COP 4,287

104.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.28 F CFA 158

$2.39 COP 7,505

-88.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 F CFA 978

$1.70 COP 5,346

2.35%

Eggs

$2.60 F CFA 1,465

$2.87 COP 9,021

-9.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.34 F CFA 9,775

$9.94 COP 31.2K

74.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.58 F CFA 5,397

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-11.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.41 F CFA 6,432

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-22.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 F CFA 1,835

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-20.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 F CFA 1,078

$1.57 COP 4,940

21.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 F CFA 1,684

$2.13 COP 6,682

40.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 F CFA 1,017

$2.21 COP 6,959

-18.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 F CFA 778

$2.05 COP 6,435

-32.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 F CFA 592

$1.50 COP 4,728

-30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 F CFA 670

$1.19 COP 3,740

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 F CFA 413

$1.16 COP 3,640

-37.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 F CFA 1,284

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-41.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 F CFA 9,947

$14.44 COP 45.4K

22.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 F CFA 905

$1.58 COP 4,978

1.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 F CFA 1,918

$2.83 COP 8,889

20.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 F CFA 526

$1.28 COP 4,038

-27.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 F CFA 1,226

$2.09 COP 6,576

4.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.55 F CFA 9,891

$8.62 COP 27.1K

103.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 F CFA 945

$1.30 COP 4,080

29.23%

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

$52.0K F CFA 29.3M

$27.7K COP 86.9M

87.84%

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

$50.4K F CFA 28.4M

$35.5K COP 111.6M

42.07%

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

$209 F CFA 117.6K

$176 COP 553.4K

18.55%

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

$11.91 F CFA 6,712

$13.37 COP 42.0K

-10.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.07 F CFA 27.1K

$29.89 COP 94.0K

60.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$8.99 F CFA 5,066

$6.20 COP 19.5K

45.00%

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

$316 F CFA 178.2K

$793 COP 2.5M

-60.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K F CFA 6.1M

$9,019 COP 28.4M

19.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 F CFA 34.0K

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-29.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.08 F CFA 27.1K

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-17.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 F CFA 50.1K

$136 COP 428.4K

-34.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 F CFA 56.7K

$103 COP 324.1K

-2.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$450 F CFA 253.5K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-57.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.75

10.94

-20.02%

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

Last update for Saint-Louis: September 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $450 in Saint-Louis versus $1,060 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 $56.0 in Saint-Louis versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $301 in Saint-Louis vs $303 in Medellin – so Saint-Louis wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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-Louis vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 96%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,313 per month in Saint-Louis and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saint-Louis, 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 $56.0 in Saint-Louis and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Saint-Louis, where all-in costs run around $876, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Saint-Louis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saint-Louis – 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-Louis. 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.