Cost of Living Comparison Between San Lorenzo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between San Lorenzo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,410 per month in San Lorenzo vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,118 per month in San Lorenzo vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,827 per month in San Lorenzo vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

San Lorenzo costs about 41% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

San Lorenzo sits 6% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.23 $12.23

$5.91 COP 18.6K

106.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.3 $80.3

$32.96 COP 103.8K

143.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 $9.70

$7.43 COP 23.4K

30.55%

Cappuccino

$3.56 $3.56

$1.65 COP 5,207

115.76%

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

$1.77 $1.77

$1.10 COP 3,468

60.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$0.78 COP 2,458

85.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.72 COP 5,412

79.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 $4.61

$3.18 COP 10.0K

44.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.10 COP 3,474

120.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.57 $3.57

$1.26 COP 3,962

183.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.38 COP 4,349

59.42%

Eggs

$5.96 $5.96

$2.18 COP 6,858

173.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.06 $9.06

$4.49 COP 14.1K

101.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 $8.43

$5.79 COP 18.2K

45.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$8.97 COP 28.2K

42.25%

Apples (1kg)

$5.72 $5.72

$2.32 COP 7,308

146.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.06 COP 3,352

157.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$1.52 COP 4,774

151.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$1.36 COP 4,270

194.85%

Potato (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$1.13 COP 3,552

249.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.17 COP 3,689

149.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.03 $3.03

$0.90 COP 2,838

236.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.90 COP 2,823

121.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.11 $12.11

$2.23 COP 7,034

443.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.72 $15.72

$12.12 COP 38.2K

29.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.19 COP 3,743

105.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.48 COP 7,815

29.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.95 COP 6,141

-24.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.04 $15.04

$7.89 COP 24.8K

90.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$0.99 COP 3,118

-3.03%

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

$35.3K $35.3K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

100.67%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-0.92%

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

$493 $493

$83.0 COP 261.4K

494.18%

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

$77.9 $77.9

$9.70 COP 30.5K

703.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.8 $74.8

$23.52 COP 74.1K

217.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 $12.04

$3.95 COP 12.4K

204.81%

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

$473 $473

$316 COP 994.2K

49.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K $10.3K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

72.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.69 $45.69

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-23.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.6 $56.6

$31.82 COP 100.2K

78.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 $91.8

$102 COP 320.1K

-9.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$107 COP 338.3K

-1.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,823 $1,823

$849 COP 2.7M

114.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

13.43

-57.48%

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

Last update for San Lorenzo: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in San Lorenzo versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $384 vs $193 – 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 Lorenzo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Lorenzo is pricier by about 41%, 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 $2,114 per month in San Lorenzo and $1,504 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 $80.0 in San Lorenzo 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 Lorenzo, 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 $1,003, than in San Lorenzo at $1,410. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Lorenzo 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 Lorenzo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.