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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,751 per month in San Juan vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,750 per month in San Juan vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,749 per month in San Juan vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

San Juan costs about 4% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both San Juan and Medellin sit above the global median – San Juan by 28%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.38 ₡5,502

$8.02 COP 25.0K

54.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 ₡26.6K

$47.87 COP 149.4K

24.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 ₡5,069

$9.89 COP 30.8K

15.37%

Cappuccino

$4.48 ₡1,990

$3.13 COP 9,767

43.13%

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

$2.60 ₡1,157

$1.91 COP 5,954

36.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ₡833

$1.51 COP 4,712

24.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 ₡1,470

$3.12 COP 9,747

6.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 ₡2,022

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-20.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 ₡1,038

$1.44 COP 4,509

62.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 ₡1,385

$2.49 COP 7,759

25.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 ₡1,078

$1.77 COP 5,535

37.29%

Eggs

$3.60 ₡1,601

$2.96 COP 9,235

21.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.66 ₡4,738

$10.07 COP 31.4K

5.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.58 ₡4,702

$10.12 COP 31.6K

4.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 ₡6,407

$14.30 COP 44.6K

0.84%

Apples (1kg)

$5.26 ₡2,340

$4.14 COP 12.9K

27.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡705

$1.61 COP 5,019

-1.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.72 ₡2,100

$2.25 COP 7,007

109.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.97 ₡1,762

$2.25 COP 7,028

76.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.95 ₡1,755

$2.04 COP 6,375

93.63%

Onion (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,689

$1.54 COP 4,790

146.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡486

$1.17 COP 3,651

-6.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.26 ₡1,447

$1.31 COP 4,077

148.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 ₡2,731

$3.90 COP 12.2K

57.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.64 ₡9,174

$14.01 COP 43.7K

47.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,245

$1.74 COP 5,439

60.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 ₡1,672

$2.87 COP 8,956

31.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 ₡570

$1.22 COP 3,792

4.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 ₡1,130

$1.31 COP 4,084

93.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 ₡708

$2.19 COP 6,825

-27.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.76 ₡3,893

$8.71 COP 27.2K

0.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₡665

$1.37 COP 4,260

9.49%

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

$22.1K ₡9.8M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

-20.47%

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

$34.4K ₡15.3M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-3.79%

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

$97.5 ₡43.3K

$177 COP 553.2K

-45.00%

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

$36.69 ₡16.3K

$13.88 COP 43.3K

164.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 ₡28.1K

$29.72 COP 92.8K

112.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.4 ₡30.0K

$44.88 COP 140.1K

50.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$8.22 ₡3,655

$6.65 COP 20.7K

23.61%

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

$1,003 ₡445.6K

$813 COP 2.5M

23.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K ₡7.8M

$9,187 COP 28.7M

90.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.3 ₡32.6K

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-18.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.6 ₡25.2K

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-3.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 ₡58.6K

$138 COP 431.2K

-4.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 ₡58.8K

$102 COP 318.7K

29.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$865 ₡384.6K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-18.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$614 ₡272.8K

$663 COP 2.1M

-7.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,890 ₡840.1K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

0.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 ₡552.1K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

20.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

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 Juan: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $865 in San Juan versus $1,062 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 $60.0 in San Juan versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $407 vs $305 – 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 Juan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Juan is pricier by about 4%, 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 $2,626 per month in San Juan and $2,521 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 $60.0 in San Juan 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 34% more in San Juan, 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 $1,681, than in San Juan at $1,751. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Juan 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 Juan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.