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 $2,215 per month in San Juan vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,318 per month in San Juan vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,422 per month in San Juan vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

San Juan costs about 29% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both San Juan and Medellin sit above the global median – San Juan by 61%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.92 $18.92

$8.03 COP 25.3K

135.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.5 $82.5

$48.26 COP 152.3K

70.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.32 $9.32

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-4.61%

Cappuccino

$3.71 $3.71

$2.91 COP 9,185

27.49%

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

$1.77 $1.77

$1.94 COP 6,134

-8.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.52 COP 4,801

-5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.09 COP 9,759

-4.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 $4.94

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-13.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.36 COP 4,304

67.65%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 $3.68

$2.39 COP 7,534

53.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.70 COP 5,366

41.18%

Eggs

$7.55 $7.55

$2.87 COP 9,056

163.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.38 $12.38

$9.94 COP 31.4K

24.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.73 $9.73

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-9.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.48 $13.48

$14.73 COP 46.5K

-8.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.13 $5.13

$4.09 COP 12.9K

25.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$1.57 COP 4,960

66.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$2.13 COP 6,708

130.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$2.21 COP 6,985

120.36%

Potato (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$2.05 COP 6,460

82.44%

Onion (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$1.50 COP 4,747

166.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.54 $3.54

$1.19 COP 3,755

197.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.16 COP 3,654

37.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.17 $12.17

$3.90 COP 12.3K

212.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.64 $15.64

$14.44 COP 45.6K

8.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.58 COP 4,997

89.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 $3.92

$2.83 COP 8,923

38.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.17 COP 3,686

-34.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.40 $30.40

$77.7 COP 245.3K

-60.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.28 COP 4,054

92.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.09 COP 6,602

-28.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.18 $41.18

$8.62 COP 27.2K

377.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.30 COP 4,096

-10.77%

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

$39.7K $39.7K

$27.7K COP 87.3M

43.46%

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

$28.1K $28.1K

$35.5K COP 112.0M

-20.78%

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

$326 $326

$176 COP 555.6K

85.39%

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

$69.0 $69.0

$13.37 COP 42.2K

415.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 $70.1

$29.89 COP 94.3K

134.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.23 $40.23

$44.76 COP 141.2K

-10.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.67 $7.67

$17.06 COP 53.8K

-55.04%

Cinema Ticket

$10.36 $10.36

$6.20 COP 19.6K

67.10%

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

$837 $837

$793 COP 2.5M

5.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K $12.4K

$9,019 COP 28.5M

37.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 $56.5

$85.6 COP 270.1K

-34.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.5 $60.5

$58.5 COP 184.5K

3.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 $108

$136 COP 430.1K

-20.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$103 COP 325.4K

9.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,789 $1,789

$1,060 COP 3.3M

68.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$846 $846

$680 COP 2.1M

24.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,909 $2,909

$2,012 COP 6.3M

44.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,465 $1,465

$1,169 COP 3.7M

25.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,363 $7,363

$4,111 COP 13.0M

79.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,334 $3,334

$1,701 COP 5.4M

95.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,743 $2,743

$665 COP 2.1M

312.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

10.94

-40.13%

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

Last update for San Juan: September 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,789 in San Juan 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 312% higher in San Juan, 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 $82.0 in San Juan versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $418 vs $303 – 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 29%, 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 $3,322 per month in San Juan 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 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 $82.0 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,215 in San Juan and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in San Juan at $2,215. 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.

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.