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 $1,061 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,748 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,434 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

San Juan del Sur costs about 3% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both San Juan del Sur and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – San Juan del Sur 21% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.25 NIO 156

$6.16 COP 20.0K

-31.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.73 NIO 1,235

$32.60 COP 106.0K

3.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 NIO 203

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-24.52%

Cappuccino

$2.43 NIO 88.8

$1.72 COP 5,592

41.28%

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

$0.79 NIO 28.88

$1.05 COP 3,416

-24.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 NIO 24.45

$0.77 COP 2,511

-12.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 NIO 48.78

$1.69 COP 5,480

-21.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 NIO 74.5

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-35.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 NIO 46.32

$1.05 COP 3,418

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 NIO 56.0

$1.30 COP 4,230

17.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 NIO 42.74

$1.40 COP 4,538

-16.43%

Eggs

$1.87 NIO 68.3

$2.16 COP 7,037

-13.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 NIO 285

$4.39 COP 14.3K

77.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 NIO 237

$5.88 COP 19.1K

10.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.15 NIO 298

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-5.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 NIO 146

$2.28 COP 7,415

75.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 NIO 30.35

$1.11 COP 3,599

-25.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 NIO 67.2

$1.53 COP 4,976

19.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 NIO 79.4

$1.35 COP 4,405

60.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.22 NIO 118

$1.13 COP 3,669

184.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NIO 79.2

$1.13 COP 3,687

91.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 NIO 39.10

$0.85 COP 2,749

25.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 NIO 38.70

$0.91 COP 2,971

16.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 NIO 99.4

$2.34 COP 7,619

15.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.99 NIO 366

$12.37 COP 40.2K

-19.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 NIO 51.9

$1.20 COP 3,904

18.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 NIO 80.8

$2.49 COP 8,094

-11.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,724

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 131.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 NIO 53.8

$1.42 COP 4,617

3.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,227

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 NIO 251

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-10.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 NIO 45.37

$0.99 COP 3,219

25.25%

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

$22.5K NIO 825.0K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

24.93%

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

$26.2K NIO 958.4K

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-1.73%

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

$42.79 NIO 1,567

$80.8 COP 262.7K

-47.05%

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

$10.45 NIO 383

$9.95 COP 32.3K

5.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.21 NIO 1,326

$24.18 COP 78.6K

49.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.32 NIO 1,111

$25.08 COP 81.5K

20.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$8.10 NIO 297

$3.98 COP 13.0K

103.52%

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

$123 NIO 4,499

$305 COP 992.2K

-59.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 NIO 220.5K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-0.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 NIO 2,780

$58.1 COP 189.0K

30.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.9 NIO 2,668

$32.20 COP 104.7K

126.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 NIO 4,914

$101 COP 327.5K

33.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 NIO 3,951

$108 COP 350.3K

0.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 NIO 17.0K

$477 COP 1.5M

-2.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 NIO 14.7K

$376 COP 1.2M

6.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$962 NIO 35.2K

$845 COP 2.7M

13.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$961 NIO 35.2K

$730 COP 2.4M

31.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$354 NIO 13.0K

$617 COP 2.0M

-42.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

13.43

-23.68%

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

Last update for San Juan del Sur: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in San Juan del Sur versus $477 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 74% higher in Medellin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in San Juan del Sur versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $193 – 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 del Sur vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Juan del Sur is pricier by about 3%, 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 $1,592 per month in San Juan del Sur and $1,546 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 $34.00 in San Juan del Sur 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 17% more in San Juan del Sur, 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 $1,031, than in San Juan del Sur at $1,061. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Juan del Sur 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.

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