Cost of Living Comparison Between Sal and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Sal and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $888 per month in Sal vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,374 per month in Sal vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,860 per month in Sal vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Sal is about 48% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Sal sits 35% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 CVE 564

$8.03 COP 25.2K

-25.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.67 CVE 4,428

$48.26 COP 151.7K

-3.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 CVE 1,083

$9.77 COP 30.7K

16.79%

Cappuccino

$2.43 CVE 231

$2.91 COP 9,149

-16.49%

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

$2.72 CVE 258

$1.94 COP 6,110

40.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 CVE 112

$1.52 COP 4,783

-22.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.79 CVE 454

$3.09 COP 9,721

55.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 CVE 293

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-46.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 CVE 150

$1.36 COP 4,287

16.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 CVE 221

$2.39 COP 7,505

-2.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 CVE 117

$1.70 COP 5,346

-27.65%

Eggs

$2.91 CVE 276

$2.87 COP 9,021

1.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.60 CVE 911

$9.94 COP 31.2K

-3.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.82 CVE 742

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-27.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.71 CVE 1,586

$14.73 COP 46.3K

13.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 CVE 317

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-18.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 CVE 235

$1.57 COP 4,940

57.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 CVE 327

$2.13 COP 6,682

61.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CVE 383

$2.21 COP 6,959

82.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 CVE 163

$2.05 COP 6,435

-16.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 CVE 182

$1.50 COP 4,728

28.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 CVE 153

$1.19 COP 3,740

36.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 CVE 107

$1.16 COP 3,640

-2.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.78 CVE 453

$3.90 COP 12.2K

22.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.87 CVE 652

$14.44 COP 45.4K

-52.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.14 CVE 393

$1.58 COP 4,978

162.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 CVE 186

$2.83 COP 8,889

-30.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 CVE 98.1

$1.17 COP 3,672

-11.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 CVE 198

$1.28 COP 4,038

62.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 CVE 303

$2.09 COP 6,576

52.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.22 CVE 1,254

$8.62 COP 27.1K

53.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CVE 130

$1.30 COP 4,080

5.38%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

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

$63.5 CVE 6,024

$176 COP 553.4K

-63.94%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 CVE 4,804

$29.89 COP 94.0K

69.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.27 CVE 2,777

$44.76 COP 140.7K

-34.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

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

$120 CVE 11.4K

$793 COP 2.5M

-84.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.98 CVE 2,939

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-63.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 CVE 13.8K

$103 COP 324.1K

41.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$267 CVE 25.4K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-74.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 CVE 16.4K

$680 COP 2.1M

-74.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 CVE 30.1K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-84.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$207 CVE 19.6K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-82.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$682 CVE 64.7K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-83.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$349 CVE 33.1K

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-79.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$267 CVE 25.3K

$665 COP 2.1M

-59.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

10.94

-52.01%

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

Last update for Sal: September 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $267 in Sal 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.

Salaries run about 150% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Sal versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $307 in Sal vs $303 in Medellin – so Medellin 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

Sal vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 93%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,331 per month in Sal 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 Sal, 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 $47.00 in Sal and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sal, where all-in costs run around $888, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Sal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sal – 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 Sal. 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.