Cost of Living Comparison Between San Diego, CA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between San Diego, CA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,945 per month in San Diego, CA vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,834 per month in San Diego, CA vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,724 per month in San Diego, CA vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

San Diego, CA costs about 283% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

San Diego, CA sits 195% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.60 $22.60

$6.16 COP 20.1K

266.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$32.60 COP 106.1K

201.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.12 $15.12

$7.34 COP 23.9K

105.99%

Cappuccino

$6.01 $6.01

$1.72 COP 5,600

249.42%

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

$2.92 $2.92

$1.05 COP 3,420

178.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$0.77 COP 2,515

235.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.14 $8.14

$1.69 COP 5,488

381.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.05 $9.05

$3.17 COP 10.3K

185.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.05 COP 3,423

13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$4.57 $4.57

$1.30 COP 4,236

251.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.40 COP 4,544

210.00%

Eggs

$5.09 $5.09

$2.16 COP 7,047

135.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.31 $13.31

$4.39 COP 14.3K

203.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.88 $12.88

$5.88 COP 19.1K

119.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.22 $18.22

$8.64 COP 28.1K

110.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$2.28 COP 7,426

109.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.11 COP 3,604

53.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$1.53 COP 4,983

156.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$1.35 COP 4,410

260.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.13 COP 3,674

173.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.13 COP 3,692

109.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 $2.27

$0.85 COP 2,753

167.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$0.91 COP 2,975

163.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.11 $12.11

$2.34 COP 7,630

417.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.11 $15.11

$12.37 COP 40.3K

22.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.20 COP 3,909

47.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.49 COP 8,104

-2.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.54 $2.54

$0.84 COP 2,728

202.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.6 $70.6

$40.57 COP 132.1K

74.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.42 COP 4,623

116.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.92 COP 6,235

8.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.53 $27.53

$7.66 COP 24.9K

259.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$0.99 COP 3,223

31.31%

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

$31.4K $31.4K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

74.34%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

1.06%

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

$273 $273

$80.8 COP 263.1K

237.21%

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

$67.8 $67.8

$9.95 COP 32.4K

581.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.0 $80.0

$24.18 COP 78.7K

230.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 $68.8

$25.08 COP 81.7K

174.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.75 $24.75

$19.15 COP 62.3K

29.24%

Cinema Ticket

$16.29 $16.29

$3.98 COP 13.0K

309.30%

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

$1,622 $1,622

$305 COP 993.5K

431.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.2K $29.2K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

381.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 $59.9

$58.1 COP 189.2K

2.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 $57.1

$32.20 COP 104.8K

77.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 $99.0

$101 COP 327.9K

-1.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$108 COP 350.8K

7.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,835 $2,835

$477 COP 1.6M

494.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,354 $2,354

$376 COP 1.2M

525.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,926 $4,926

$845 COP 2.7M

483.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,071 $4,071

$730 COP 2.4M

457.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,217 $8,217

$3,215 COP 10.5M

155.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,695 $6,695

$1,372 COP 4.5M

387.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,320 $5,320

$617 COP 2.0M

762.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

13.43

-52.42%

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

Last update for San Diego, CA: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,835 in San Diego, CA versus $477 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 763% higher in San Diego, CA, 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 $98.0 in San Diego, CA versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $424 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

San Diego, CA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Diego, CA is pricier by about 283%, 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 $5,917 per month in San Diego, CA and $1,546 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 $98.0 in San Diego, CA and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,945 in San Diego, CA and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in San Diego, CA at $3,945. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Diego, CA 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, San Diego, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.