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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Sal vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,540 per month in Sal vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,066 per month in Sal vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Sal and Medellin have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Sal and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Sal 24% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.80 CVE 549

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-3.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.87 CVE 4,437

$32.86 COP 117.4K

42.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.28 CVE 690

$7.09 COP 25.3K

2.68%

Cappuccino

$2.28 CVE 216

$1.71 COP 6,115

33.33%

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

$2.43 CVE 230

$1.10 COP 3,924

120.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 CVE 106

$0.78 COP 2,781

43.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 CVE 364

$1.68 COP 5,997

129.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 CVE 295

$3.07 COP 11.0K

1.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 CVE 142

$1.09 COP 3,906

37.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 CVE 210

$1.26 COP 4,508

76.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 CVE 147

$1.38 COP 4,922

12.32%

Eggs

$2.87 CVE 272

$2.19 COP 7,827

31.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 CVE 1,048

$4.40 COP 15.7K

151.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.21 CVE 777

$5.63 COP 20.1K

45.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.60 CVE 1,572

$8.89 COP 31.8K

86.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 CVE 278

$2.34 COP 8,349

25.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 CVE 240

$1.06 COP 3,777

139.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 CVE 279

$1.50 COP 5,374

96.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 CVE 394

$1.38 COP 4,924

201.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 CVE 154

$1.15 COP 4,111

41.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 CVE 186

$1.16 COP 4,155

69.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 CVE 174

$0.89 COP 3,182

106.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 CVE 108

$0.84 COP 2,997

35.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.84 CVE 459

$2.28 COP 8,145

112.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.99 CVE 662

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-34.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 CVE 283

$1.20 COP 4,284

148.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CVE 187

$2.47 COP 8,824

-20.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 CVE 97.7

$0.86 COP 3,056

19.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.13 CVE 201

$1.47 COP 5,264

44.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.83 CVE 268

$1.96 COP 7,009

44.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.83 CVE 1,214

$7.74 COP 27.6K

65.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CVE 135

$0.95 COP 3,409

50.53%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$89.8 CVE 8,500

$82.3 COP 293.7K

9.16%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.2 CVE 5,225

$24.23 COP 86.5K

127.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.47 CVE 3,358

$25.89 COP 92.4K

37.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$150 CVE 14.2K

$309 COP 1.1M

-51.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,546 CVE 241.1K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-57.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.74 CVE 3,006

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-45.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 CVE 13.8K

$108 COP 387.2K

34.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$335 CVE 31.7K

$476 COP 1.7M

-29.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 CVE 27.9K

$379 COP 1.4M

-22.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$446 CVE 42.2K

$838 COP 3.0M

-46.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 CVE 37.9K

$724 COP 2.6M

-44.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$674 CVE 63.8K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-75.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$348 CVE 33.0K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-71.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$263 CVE 24.9K

$512 COP 1.8M

-48.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

13.43

-54.06%

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

Last update for Sal: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $335 in Sal versus $476 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 95% higher in Medellin. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Sal versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $304 vs $188 – 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

Sal vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,521 per month in Sal and $1,519 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 $47.00 in Sal and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Kindergarten costs $150 per month in Sal and $309 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Sal at $1,014. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sal 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.

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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.