Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose del Monte and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose del Monte and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $775 per month in San Jose del Monte vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,217 per month in San Jose del Monte vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,659 per month in San Jose del Monte vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

San Jose del Monte is about 24% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both San Jose del Monte and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – San Jose del Monte 42% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ₱275

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-25.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.36 ₱1,625

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-19.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.62 ₱223

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-48.94%

Cappuccino

$2.66 ₱164

$1.71 COP 6,115

55.56%

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

$0.87 ₱53.5

$1.10 COP 3,924

-20.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.20

$0.78 COP 2,781

-37.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.49 ₱92.0

$1.68 COP 5,997

-11.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 ₱163

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-14.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱121

$1.09 COP 3,906

78.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ₱82.5

$1.26 COP 4,508

6.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ₱58.5

$1.38 COP 4,922

-31.16%

Eggs

$2.07 ₱128

$2.19 COP 7,827

-5.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 ₱573

$4.40 COP 15.7K

111.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.23 ₱322

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-7.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 ₱533

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-2.81%

Apples (1kg)

$0.72 ₱44.61

$2.34 COP 8,349

-69.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 ₱107

$1.06 COP 3,777

64.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.51 ₱31.45

$1.50 COP 5,374

-66.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ₱89.6

$1.38 COP 4,924

5.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 ₱134

$1.15 COP 4,111

89.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 ₱85.6

$1.16 COP 4,155

19.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.6

$0.89 COP 3,182

21.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₱40.34

$0.84 COP 2,997

-22.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ₱203

$2.28 COP 8,145

44.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.74 ₱539

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-17.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 ₱85.6

$1.20 COP 4,284

15.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₱137

$2.47 COP 8,824

-10.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.84

$0.86 COP 3,056

-69.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱48.56

$1.47 COP 5,264

-46.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.50

$1.96 COP 7,009

-88.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₱132

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-72.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₱72.2

$0.95 COP 3,409

23.16%

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

$26.2K ₱1.6M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

44.74%

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

$18.0K ₱1.1M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-32.15%

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

$129 ₱7,956

$82.3 COP 293.7K

56.86%

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

$21.51 ₱1,327

$9.50 COP 33.9K

126.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.89 ₱1,658

$24.23 COP 86.5K

10.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.14 ₱2,105

$25.89 COP 92.4K

31.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.40 ₱271

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-76.84%

Cinema Ticket

$6.77 ₱417

$3.93 COP 14.0K

72.26%

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

$153 ₱9,411

$309 COP 1.1M

-50.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,255 ₱262.4K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-28.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.67 ₱2,878

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-20.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.89 ₱2,090

$32.35 COP 115.5K

4.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.5 ₱4,288

$103 COP 366.4K

-32.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.41 ₱2,862

$108 COP 387.2K

-57.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 ₱16.4K

$476 COP 1.7M

-44.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 ₱10.8K

$379 COP 1.4M

-53.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 ₱35.6K

$838 COP 3.0M

-31.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 ₱24.6K

$724 COP 2.6M

-44.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,384 ₱147.0K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-14.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,056 ₱65.1K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-12.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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 San Jose del Monte: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $266 in San Jose del Monte 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in San Jose del Monte versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $199 in San Jose del Monte vs $188 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Jose del Monte vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,162 per month in San Jose del Monte 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 San Jose del Monte, 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 $26.00 in San Jose del Monte and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Jose del Monte, where all-in costs run around $775, than in Medellin at $1,013. In San Jose del Monte it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Jose del Monte – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with San Jose del Monte. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.