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 $1,744 per month in San Francisco vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,742 per month in San Francisco vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,740 per month in San Francisco vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

San Francisco costs about 6% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both San Francisco and Medellin sit above the global median – San Francisco by 26%, Medellin by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.15 ₡5,436

$8.04 COP 24.8K

51.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 ₡26.4K

$48.29 COP 148.6K

22.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.40 ₡5,102

$9.42 COP 29.0K

21.02%

Cappuccino

$4.36 ₡1,953

$2.94 COP 9,040

48.30%

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

$2.71 ₡1,215

$1.86 COP 5,735

45.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ₡836

$1.46 COP 4,479

28.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 ₡1,457

$3.21 COP 9,882

1.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 ₡2,009

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-21.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 ₡1,089

$1.44 COP 4,428

68.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₡1,366

$2.40 COP 7,389

27.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 ₡1,093

$1.70 COP 5,228

43.53%

Eggs

$3.60 ₡1,609

$2.89 COP 8,896

24.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 ₡4,908

$10.06 COP 30.9K

9.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.73 ₡4,803

$9.97 COP 30.7K

7.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.08 ₡6,300

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-0.85%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 ₡2,311

$3.98 COP 12.3K

29.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡721

$1.58 COP 4,878

1.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.87 ₡2,179

$2.15 COP 6,624

126.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 ₡1,780

$2.30 COP 7,078

73.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.78 ₡1,693

$2.00 COP 6,169

89.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.74 ₡1,675

$1.51 COP 4,646

147.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₡484

$1.20 COP 3,701

-10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.15 ₡1,408

$1.28 COP 3,946

146.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.19 ₡2,768

$3.84 COP 11.8K

61.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.78 ₡9,300

$14.01 COP 43.1K

48.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 ₡1,310

$1.71 COP 5,256

71.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ₡1,659

$2.74 COP 8,440

35.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 ₡585

$1.25 COP 3,834

4.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 ₡1,091

$1.31 COP 4,016

86.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 ₡712

$2.17 COP 6,680

-26.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.84 ₡3,957

$8.29 COP 25.5K

6.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₡672

$1.36 COP 4,172

10.29%

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

$21.9K ₡9.8M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-20.21%

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

$35.5K ₡15.9M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-2.76%

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

$96.7 ₡43.3K

$169 COP 519.2K

-42.68%

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

$36.77 ₡16.5K

$13.57 COP 41.8K

170.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.28 ₡18.0K

$28.32 COP 87.2K

42.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.6 ₡33.4K

$45.71 COP 140.7K

63.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ₡3,788

$6.65 COP 20.5K

27.22%

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

$1,010 ₡451.8K

$803 COP 2.5M

25.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.6M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

85.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 ₡31.9K

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-18.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.0K

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-6.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 ₡58.5K

$139 COP 427.5K

-5.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₡58.8K

$102 COP 314.0K

28.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ₡359.2K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-25.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 ₡289.1K

$653 COP 2.0M

-1.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 ₡845.0K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-1.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 ₡575.2K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

22.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

10.94

-19.74%

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

Last update for San Francisco: September 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $802 in San Francisco versus $1,071 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 $59.0 in San Francisco versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $407 vs $300 – 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 6%, 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 $2,616 per month in San Francisco and $2,462 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 $59.0 in San Francisco 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 36% 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 $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in San Francisco at $1,744. 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.