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 $1,571 per month in San Francisco vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,376 per month in San Francisco vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,181 per month in San Francisco vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

San Francisco costs about 55% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

San Francisco sits 17% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.04 ₡4,989

$5.95 COP 20.8K

85.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.8 ₡27.5K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

82.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.21 ₡4,615

$7.23 COP 25.2K

41.22%

Cappuccino

$3.73 ₡1,685

$1.63 COP 5,687

128.83%

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

$1.97 ₡888

$1.09 COP 3,821

80.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₡739

$0.73 COP 2,548

124.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 ₡1,360

$1.74 COP 6,065

72.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 ₡2,121

$3.23 COP 11.3K

45.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ₡928

$1.05 COP 3,662

95.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.80 ₡1,267

$1.29 COP 4,515

117.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ₡995

$1.32 COP 4,617

66.67%

Eggs

$2.88 ₡1,301

$2.27 COP 7,927

26.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.78 ₡4,420

$4.35 COP 15.2K

124.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.87 ₡4,007

$5.88 COP 20.5K

50.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.49 ₡6,094

$8.61 COP 30.0K

56.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.60 ₡2,078

$2.25 COP 7,844

104.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ₡664

$1.07 COP 3,733

37.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 ₡1,880

$1.52 COP 5,322

173.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 ₡1,538

$1.42 COP 4,964

139.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 ₡1,538

$1.17 COP 4,084

190.60%

Onion (1kg)

$3.14 ₡1,417

$1.17 COP 4,077

168.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ₡466

$0.89 COP 3,096

15.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₡1,328

$0.90 COP 3,146

226.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.39 ₡2,433

$2.25 COP 7,837

139.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.31 ₡9,626

$11.04 COP 38.5K

93.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 ₡1,130

$1.14 COP 3,977

119.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ₡1,314

$2.38 COP 8,301

22.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₡442

$0.84 COP 2,916

16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ₡842

$1.41 COP 4,912

31.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 ₡847

$1.90 COP 6,634

-1.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.00 ₡3,613

$7.75 COP 27.0K

3.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ₡639

$1.01 COP 3,509

39.60%

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

$37.2K ₡16.8M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

111.85%

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

$32.5K ₡14.7M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

22.65%

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

$93.1 ₡42.0K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

11.20%

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

$25.57 ₡11.6K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

170.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.86 ₡18.0K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

65.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 ₡25.3K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

121.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.75 ₡10.7K

$19.14 COP 66.8K

24.09%

Cinema Ticket

$9.84 ₡4,448

$4.10 COP 14.3K

140.00%

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

$561 ₡253.5K

$312 COP 1.1M

79.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K ₡5.8M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

113.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 ₡28.0K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

6.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 ₡23.6K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

60.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₡56.3K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

24.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡48.2K

$109 COP 378.8K

-1.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$772 ₡349.0K

$482 COP 1.7M

60.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$590 ₡266.7K

$379 COP 1.3M

55.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,533 ₡692.5K

$837 COP 2.9M

83.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$949 ₡428.7K

$723 COP 2.5M

31.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $772 in San Francisco versus $482 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: $365 vs $190 – 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 55%, 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 $2,356 per month in San Francisco and $1,525 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 93% 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 $1,017, than in San Francisco at $1,571. 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.