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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,292 per month in San Miguel vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,870 per month in San Miguel vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,448 per month in San Miguel vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

San Miguel costs about 25% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both San Miguel and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – San Miguel 3% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.04 $4.04

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-34.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.26 $25.26

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-22.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.59 $6.59

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-10.22%

Cappuccino

$3.02 $3.02

$1.72 COP 5,600

75.58%

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

$0.73 $0.73

$1.05 COP 3,420

-30.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 $0.64

$0.77 COP 2,515

-16.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.69 COP 5,488

15.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-3.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.05 COP 3,423

72.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.30 COP 4,236

51.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.40 COP 4,544

5.71%

Eggs

$2.78 $2.78

$2.16 COP 7,047

28.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.00 $7.00

$4.39 COP 14.3K

59.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 $6.63

$5.88 COP 19.1K

12.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 $10.91

$8.64 COP 28.1K

26.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.28 COP 7,426

37.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.11 COP 3,604

47.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.53 COP 4,983

71.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.35 COP 4,410

94.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.13 COP 3,674

97.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.13 COP 3,692

92.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.85 COP 2,753

14.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.91 COP 2,975

13.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.34 COP 7,630

5.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.05 $12.05

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-2.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.20 COP 3,909

41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.49 COP 8,104

1.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

$0.84 COP 2,728

-57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.59 $27.59

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-31.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 $5.39

$1.42 COP 4,623

279.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.92 COP 6,235

56.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.07 $10.07

$7.66 COP 24.9K

31.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.99 COP 3,223

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

43.96%

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

$28.2K $28.2K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

6.04%

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

$104 $104

$80.8 COP 263.1K

28.52%

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

$19.15 $19.15

$9.95 COP 32.4K

92.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.20 $42.20

$24.18 COP 78.7K

74.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.30 $28.30

$25.08 COP 81.7K

12.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.54 $21.54

$19.15 COP 62.3K

12.48%

Cinema Ticket

$5.27 $5.27

$3.98 COP 13.0K

32.41%

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

$147 $147

$305 COP 993.5K

-51.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,306 $4,306

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-28.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 $64.0

$58.1 COP 189.2K

10.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.93 $42.93

$32.20 COP 104.8K

33.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$101 COP 327.9K

14.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$108 COP 350.8K

-3.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$703 $703

$477 COP 1.6M

47.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 $511

$376 COP 1.2M

35.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 $965

$845 COP 2.7M

14.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$831 $831

$730 COP 2.4M

13.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,364 $1,364

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-57.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$950 $950

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-30.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$396 $396

$617 COP 2.0M

-35.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.58

13.43

-36.11%

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

Last update for San Miguel: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $703 in San Miguel versus $477 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 56% higher in Medellin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in San Miguel versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $256 in San Miguel vs $193 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Miguel vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Miguel is pricier by about 25%, 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 $1,938 per month in San Miguel and $1,546 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 $25.00 in San Miguel and $33.00 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 $1,292 in San Miguel and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in San Miguel at $1,292. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Miguel 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Miguel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.