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 $757 per month in San Juan vs $1,687 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,317 per month in San Juan vs $2,535 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,878 per month in San Juan vs $3,383 in Medellin, rent included.

San Juan is about 55% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

San Juan sits 45% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.40 TTD 69.8

$7.89 COP 24.2K

31.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.4 TTD 399

$44.53 COP 136.5K

33.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.88 TTD 52.9

$9.29 COP 28.5K

-15.18%

Cappuccino

$3.82 TTD 25.63

$2.90 COP 8,874

31.72%

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

$1.21 TTD 8.15

$1.81 COP 5,541

-33.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 TTD 5.21

$1.55 COP 4,741

-49.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 TTD 15.27

$3.25 COP 9,962

-30.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 TTD 19.52

$5.88 COP 18.0K

-50.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 TTD 13.34

$1.38 COP 4,230

44.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 TTD 15.38

$2.45 COP 7,517

-6.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.89 TTD 19.39

$1.51 COP 4,617

91.39%

Eggs

$3.91 TTD 26.28

$2.78 COP 8,516

40.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.77 TTD 45.46

$9.05 COP 27.7K

-25.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 TTD 67.5

$10.65 COP 32.6K

-5.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.69 TTD 58.4

$14.63 COP 44.8K

-40.60%

Apples (1kg)

$5.36 TTD 35.96

$3.97 COP 12.2K

35.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 TTD 17.29

$1.38 COP 4,219

86.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 TTD 24.36

$2.30 COP 7,056

57.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.40 TTD 29.55

$2.02 COP 6,185

117.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 TTD 4.77

$2.09 COP 6,390

-66.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 TTD 4.81

$1.63 COP 4,996

-55.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 TTD 9.68

$1.08 COP 3,313

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 TTD 7.81

$1.25 COP 3,843

-7.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.62 TTD 37.74

$4.03 COP 12.4K

39.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.67 TTD 119

$13.47 COP 41.3K

31.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 TTD 10.47

$1.60 COP 4,904

-2.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 TTD 19.80

$3.00 COP 9,189

-1.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 TTD 6.19

$1.61 COP 4,920

-42.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 TTD 5.71

$2.13 COP 6,533

-60.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.95 TTD 100

$8.52 COP 26.1K

75.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 TTD 7.81

$1.35 COP 4,142

-14.07%

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

$36.4K TTD 244.6K

$28.3K COP 86.8M

28.61%

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

$41.9K TTD 281.4K

$35.7K COP 109.4M

17.43%

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

$44.12 TTD 296

$151 COP 463.8K

-70.85%

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

$42.10 TTD 283

$13.10 COP 40.1K

221.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.00 TTD 309

$32.30 COP 99.0K

42.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$8.76 TTD 58.8

$6.43 COP 19.7K

36.24%

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

$393 TTD 2,637

$835 COP 2.6M

-52.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K TTD 69.8K

$8,887 COP 27.2M

16.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 TTD 367

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-38.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.55 TTD 252

$55.3 COP 169.5K

-32.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 TTD 587

$137 COP 418.5K

-35.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.9 TTD 590

$109 COP 335.1K

-19.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.75

10.43

-44.87%

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

Last update for San Juan: August 17, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in San Juan versus $45.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $297 – 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 123%, 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 $1,135 per month in San Juan and $2,530 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in San Juan and $45.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Juan, where all-in costs run around $757, than in Medellin at $1,687. In San Juan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Juan – 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. 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.