Cost of Living Comparison Between San Francisco and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between San Francisco and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,572 per month in San Francisco vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,409 per month in San Francisco vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in San Francisco vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

San Francisco costs about 57% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

San Francisco sits 18% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.84 ₡4,880

$5.91 COP 18.9K

83.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.7 ₡27.3K

$32.96 COP 105.2K

84.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 ₡4,354

$7.43 COP 23.7K

30.28%

Cappuccino

$3.95 ₡1,779

$1.65 COP 5,276

139.39%

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

$2.00 ₡901

$1.10 COP 3,514

81.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₡714

$0.78 COP 2,491

103.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 ₡1,373

$1.72 COP 5,484

77.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 ₡2,118

$3.18 COP 10.1K

48.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ₡914

$1.10 COP 3,521

84.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 ₡1,289

$1.26 COP 4,015

126.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 ₡961

$1.38 COP 4,407

55.07%

Eggs

$2.95 ₡1,326

$2.18 COP 6,950

35.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.82 ₡4,418

$4.49 COP 14.3K

118.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 ₡4,057

$5.79 COP 18.5K

55.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.62 ₡6,129

$8.97 COP 28.6K

51.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.63 ₡2,085

$2.32 COP 7,405

99.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₡651

$1.06 COP 3,397

36.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.17 ₡1,876

$1.52 COP 4,838

174.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.51 ₡1,581

$1.36 COP 4,327

158.09%

Potato (1kg)

$3.44 ₡1,550

$1.13 COP 3,599

204.42%

Onion (1kg)

$3.19 ₡1,436

$1.17 COP 3,738

172.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ₡457

$0.90 COP 2,876

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₡1,321

$0.90 COP 2,861

226.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.28 ₡2,378

$2.23 COP 7,128

136.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.96 ₡9,884

$12.12 COP 38.7K

81.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 ₡1,131

$1.19 COP 3,793

110.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ₡1,299

$2.48 COP 7,920

16.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 ₡426

$0.85 COP 2,723

11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 ₡800

$1.42 COP 4,518

25.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 ₡827

$1.95 COP 6,223

-5.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.78 ₡3,499

$7.89 COP 25.2K

-1.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ₡634

$0.99 COP 3,160

42.42%

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

$38.4K ₡17.3M

$17.6K COP 56.2M

118.17%

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

$32.8K ₡14.8M

$26.8K COP 85.5M

22.46%

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

$83.0 COP 264.9K

12.66%

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

$25.44 ₡11.4K

$9.70 COP 30.9K

162.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.88 ₡17.9K

$23.52 COP 75.0K

69.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₡25.2K

$25.26 COP 80.6K

121.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.08 ₡10.8K

$19.10 COP 60.9K

26.07%

Cinema Ticket

$10.03 ₡4,514

$3.95 COP 12.6K

153.92%

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

$563 ₡253.4K

$316 COP 1.0M

78.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K ₡5.8M

$5,975 COP 19.1M

115.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.3 ₡28.5K

$60.0 COP 191.4K

5.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.1 ₡23.0K

$31.82 COP 101.5K

60.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 ₡56.8K

$102 COP 324.4K

24.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ₡49.0K

$107 COP 342.8K

1.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$762 ₡343.0K

$475 COP 1.5M

60.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 ₡267.2K

$374 COP 1.2M

58.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ₡680.0K

$849 COP 2.7M

77.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$968 ₡435.4K

$719 COP 2.3M

34.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

13.43

-24.27%

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

Last update for San Francisco: July 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $762 in San Francisco versus $475 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 $61.0 in San Francisco versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $369 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 Francisco vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Francisco is pricier by about 57%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,358 per month in San Francisco and $1,504 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 $61.0 in San Francisco and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 91% more in San Francisco, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in San Francisco at $1,572. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Francisco 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 Francisco makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.