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 $1,022 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,719 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,417 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

San Juan del Sur costs about 1% 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 24% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.25 NIO 156

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-29.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.80 NIO 1,238

$32.86 COP 117.4K

2.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 NIO 202

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-22.14%

Cappuccino

$2.35 NIO 86.0

$1.71 COP 6,115

37.43%

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

$0.85 NIO 31.14

$1.10 COP 3,924

-22.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 NIO 25.06

$0.78 COP 2,781

-12.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 NIO 47.48

$1.68 COP 5,997

-22.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 NIO 73.9

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-34.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 NIO 46.20

$1.09 COP 3,906

15.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 NIO 54.1

$1.26 COP 4,508

17.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 NIO 42.88

$1.38 COP 4,922

-15.22%

Eggs

$1.96 NIO 71.7

$2.19 COP 7,827

-10.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.79 NIO 285

$4.40 COP 15.7K

77.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.39 NIO 234

$5.63 COP 20.1K

13.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.97 NIO 292

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-10.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 NIO 141

$2.34 COP 8,349

64.53%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 NIO 30.90

$1.06 COP 3,777

-20.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 NIO 65.1

$1.50 COP 5,374

18.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 NIO 82.8

$1.38 COP 4,924

63.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 NIO 115

$1.15 COP 4,111

173.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 NIO 79.5

$1.16 COP 4,155

87.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 NIO 36.99

$0.89 COP 3,182

13.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 NIO 36.93

$0.84 COP 2,997

20.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 NIO 95.4

$2.28 COP 8,145

14.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.65 NIO 354

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-9.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NIO 53.5

$1.20 COP 4,284

21.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 NIO 81.9

$2.47 COP 8,824

-9.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 NIO 53.9

$1.47 COP 5,264

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.83 NIO 250

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-11.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 NIO 45.66

$0.95 COP 3,409

31.58%

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

$22.9K NIO 838.0K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

26.19%

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

$25.9K NIO 948.6K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-2.21%

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

$41.71 NIO 1,528

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-49.29%

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

$10.58 NIO 388

$9.50 COP 33.9K

11.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.56 NIO 1,339

$24.23 COP 86.5K

50.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.69 NIO 1,087

$25.89 COP 92.4K

14.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$7.80 NIO 286

$3.93 COP 14.0K

98.47%

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

$123 NIO 4,505

$309 COP 1.1M

-60.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,973 NIO 218.8K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

0.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.8 NIO 2,884

$58.7 COP 209.5K

34.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.8 NIO 2,702

$32.35 COP 115.5K

128.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 NIO 4,761

$103 COP 366.4K

26.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 NIO 4,025

$108 COP 387.2K

1.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 NIO 16.9K

$476 COP 1.7M

-3.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 NIO 15.0K

$379 COP 1.4M

8.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 NIO 35.0K

$838 COP 3.0M

13.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$958 NIO 35.1K

$724 COP 2.6M

32.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$280 NIO 10.2K

$512 COP 1.8M

-45.38%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $461 in San Juan del Sur 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.

Salaries run about 83% 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: $223 vs $188 – 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 1%, 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 $1,532 per month in San Juan del Sur 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 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 18% 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 $1,013, than in San Juan del Sur at $1,022. 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.