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 $772 per month in San Juan vs $1,589 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,317 per month in San Juan vs $2,364 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,863 per month in San Juan vs $3,139 in Medellin, rent included.

San Juan is about 51% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

San Juan sits 42% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.49 TTD 70.6

$8.01 COP 25.8K

30.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.9 TTD 389

$46.55 COP 149.9K

24.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 TTD 54.4

$9.43 COP 30.4K

-14.32%

Cappuccino

$3.64 TTD 24.48

$2.91 COP 9,374

25.09%

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

$1.20 TTD 8.04

$1.75 COP 5,643

-31.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 TTD 4.74

$1.32 COP 4,263

-46.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 TTD 14.69

$3.13 COP 10.1K

-30.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 TTD 19.54

$5.55 COP 17.9K

-47.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 TTD 13.45

$1.41 COP 4,542

41.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 TTD 15.56

$2.44 COP 7,858

-5.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 TTD 19.28

$1.63 COP 5,245

75.46%

Eggs

$3.76 TTD 25.31

$2.82 COP 9,084

33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.50 TTD 43.71

$9.69 COP 31.2K

-32.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.22 TTD 68.8

$9.32 COP 30.0K

9.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.17 TTD 61.7

$13.46 COP 43.3K

-31.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.61 TTD 37.73

$4.00 COP 12.9K

40.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 TTD 16.77

$1.48 COP 4,768

68.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 TTD 24.29

$2.12 COP 6,839

70.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.39 TTD 29.51

$2.25 COP 7,253

95.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 TTD 5.10

$1.91 COP 6,155

-60.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 TTD 5.07

$1.62 COP 5,214

-53.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 TTD 9.76

$1.15 COP 3,696

26.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 TTD 7.79

$1.26 COP 4,063

-7.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.47 TTD 36.83

$3.82 COP 12.3K

43.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.02 TTD 121

$13.11 COP 42.2K

37.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 TTD 10.09

$1.60 COP 5,136

-6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 TTD 19.92

$2.26 COP 7,263

30.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,770

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 241.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 TTD 5.77

$1.27 COP 4,098

-32.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 TTD 6.06

$2.05 COP 6,600

-56.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.55 TTD 97.9

$8.20 COP 26.4K

77.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 TTD 7.47

$1.27 COP 4,088

-12.60%

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

$36.4K TTD 245.1K

$26.8K COP 86.2M

36.02%

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

$40.5K TTD 272.6K

$34.4K COP 110.8M

17.76%

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

$44.96 TTD 302

$162 COP 522.3K

-72.28%

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

$41.52 TTD 279

$13.12 COP 42.3K

216.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.45 TTD 306

$28.09 COP 90.5K

61.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 142.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.6K

Cinema Ticket

$8.82 TTD 59.4

$6.09 COP 19.6K

44.83%

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

$404 TTD 2,719

$764 COP 2.5M

-47.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K TTD 74.1K

$8,904 COP 28.7M

23.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 TTD 374

$85.0 COP 273.6K

-34.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.30 TTD 244

$57.5 COP 185.1K

-36.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 TTD 604

$132 COP 424.2K

-31.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.9 TTD 605

$95.8 COP 308.3K

-6.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 1.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.75

10.94

-47.44%

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

Last update for San Juan: October 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in San Juan versus $47.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $288 – 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 106%, 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 $1,158 per month in San Juan and $2,384 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 $58.0 in San Juan and $47.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% 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 $772, than in Medellin at $1,589. 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.