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 $1,370 per month in San Juan vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,131 per month in San Juan vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,893 per month in San Juan vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

San Juan costs about 35% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

San Juan sits 2% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.47 TTD 50.5

$5.95 COP 20.8K

25.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.0 TTD 405

$33.33 COP 116.3K

79.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 TTD 51.3

$7.23 COP 25.2K

4.84%

Cappuccino

$3.76 TTD 25.43

$1.63 COP 5,687

130.67%

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

$1.09 TTD 7.39

$1.09 COP 3,821

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 TTD 5.25

$0.73 COP 2,548

6.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 TTD 12.82

$1.74 COP 6,065

9.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 TTD 19.46

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-10.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.74 TTD 18.50

$1.05 COP 3,662

160.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 TTD 18.26

$1.29 COP 4,515

109.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.69 TTD 18.16

$1.32 COP 4,617

103.79%

Eggs

$4.99 TTD 33.75

$2.27 COP 7,927

119.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 TTD 53.5

$4.35 COP 15.2K

81.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.59 TTD 71.6

$5.88 COP 20.5K

80.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.54 TTD 98.3

$8.61 COP 30.0K

68.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 TTD 40.51

$2.25 COP 7,844

166.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 TTD 17.59

$1.07 COP 3,733

142.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 TTD 28.37

$1.52 COP 5,322

176.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 TTD 32.49

$1.42 COP 4,964

238.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 TTD 10.15

$1.17 COP 4,084

28.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 TTD 11.22

$1.17 COP 4,077

41.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 TTD 13.28

$0.89 COP 3,096

120.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 TTD 9.57

$0.90 COP 3,146

57.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.00 TTD 40.57

$2.25 COP 7,837

166.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 TTD 125

$11.04 COP 38.5K

66.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 TTD 14.92

$1.14 COP 3,977

93.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 TTD 19.19

$2.38 COP 8,301

19.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 TTD 7.12

$1.41 COP 4,912

-25.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 TTD 8.57

$1.90 COP 6,634

-33.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.67 TTD 99.2

$7.75 COP 27.0K

89.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 TTD 7.78

$1.01 COP 3,509

13.86%

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

$34.6K TTD 233.6K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

96.55%

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

$38.9K TTD 262.9K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

46.78%

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

$79.4 TTD 537

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-5.08%

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

$45.97 TTD 311

$9.45 COP 33.0K

386.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 TTD 420

$24.11 COP 84.1K

157.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$9.86 TTD 66.6

$4.10 COP 14.3K

140.49%

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

$323 TTD 2,181

$312 COP 1.1M

3.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,203 TTD 48.7K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

20.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 TTD 394

$58.0 COP 202.6K

0.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.72 TTD 255

$32.56 COP 113.6K

15.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 TTD 992

$99.6 COP 347.7K

47.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 TTD 866

$109 COP 378.8K

17.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 TTD 5,012

$482 COP 1.7M

53.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 TTD 3,013

$379 COP 1.3M

17.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 TTD 6,985

$837 COP 2.9M

23.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 TTD 5,075

$723 COP 2.5M

3.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

13.43

-59.94%

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

Last update for San Juan: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $741 in San Juan versus $482 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in San Juan versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $378 vs $190 – 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 35%, 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 $2,055 per month in San Juan and $1,525 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 $60.0 in San Juan 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 99% more in San Juan, 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 $1,017, than in San Juan at $1,370. 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.