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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,040 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,663 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,285 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

San Juan del Sur is about 39% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

San Juan del Sur sits 24% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.32 NIO 158

$8.03 COP 25.3K

-46.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.13 NIO 1,213

$48.26 COP 152.0K

-31.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 NIO 207

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-42.17%

Cappuccino

$2.51 NIO 91.9

$2.91 COP 9,167

-13.75%

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

$0.88 NIO 32.30

$1.94 COP 6,122

-54.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 NIO 26.63

$1.52 COP 4,792

-51.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 NIO 52.8

$3.09 COP 9,740

-53.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 NIO 74.5

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-64.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 NIO 43.35

$1.36 COP 4,296

-13.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 NIO 56.2

$2.39 COP 7,519

-35.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 NIO 42.64

$1.70 COP 5,356

-31.76%

Eggs

$2.33 NIO 85.2

$2.87 COP 9,038

-18.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.84 NIO 287

$9.94 COP 31.3K

-21.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.24 NIO 229

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-42.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 NIO 262

$14.73 COP 46.4K

-51.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 NIO 135

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-10.02%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 NIO 21.35

$1.57 COP 4,950

-63.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 NIO 64.7

$2.13 COP 6,695

-16.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 NIO 79.7

$2.21 COP 6,972

-1.36%

Potato (1kg)

$3.19 NIO 117

$2.05 COP 6,447

55.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 NIO 78.8

$1.50 COP 4,737

43.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 NIO 36.61

$1.19 COP 3,747

-15.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 NIO 39.22

$1.16 COP 3,647

-7.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 NIO 99.7

$3.90 COP 12.3K

-30.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.88 NIO 362

$14.44 COP 45.5K

-31.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NIO 53.6

$1.58 COP 4,987

-7.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 NIO 84.5

$2.83 COP 8,905

-18.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,679

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 NIO 60.8

$1.28 COP 4,045

29.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 NIO 60.5

$2.09 COP 6,589

-21.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 NIO 254

$8.62 COP 27.1K

-19.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 NIO 49.15

$1.30 COP 4,088

3.08%

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

$22.9K NIO 837.1K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

-17.36%

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

$26.2K NIO 960.8K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-26.12%

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

$60.4 NIO 2,211

$176 COP 554.5K

-65.71%

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

$10.59 NIO 388

$13.37 COP 42.1K

-20.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.66 NIO 1,306

$29.89 COP 94.1K

19.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.73 NIO 1,126

$44.76 COP 141.0K

-31.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.7K

Cinema Ticket

$8.60 NIO 315

$6.20 COP 19.5K

38.71%

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

$232 NIO 8,493

$793 COP 2.5M

-70.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,167 NIO 225.9K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-31.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 NIO 2,606

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-16.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.3 NIO 2,648

$58.5 COP 184.1K

23.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 NIO 4,777

$136 COP 429.3K

-4.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NIO 3,909

$103 COP 324.7K

3.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$420 NIO 15.4K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-60.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 NIO 14.2K

$680 COP 2.1M

-42.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 NIO 34.1K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-53.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 NIO 28.2K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-34.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$348 NIO 12.7K

$665 COP 2.1M

-47.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

10.94

-6.31%

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

Last update for San Juan del Sur: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $420 in San Juan del Sur versus $1,060 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 91% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in San Juan del Sur versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $220 vs $303 – making San Juan del Sur 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 del Sur vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 65%, 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 $1,561 per month in San Juan del Sur and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Juan del Sur, 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 $33.00 in San Juan del Sur 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 38% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in San Juan del Sur, where all-in costs run around $1,040, than in Medellin at $1,716. In San Juan del Sur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Juan del Sur – 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 Juan del Sur. 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.