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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,622 per month in San Pedro vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,116 per month in San Pedro vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,610 per month in San Pedro vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

San Pedro costs about 60% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

San Pedro sits 21% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.25 BZD 18.51

$5.99 COP 21.4K

54.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.39 BZD 58.8

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-10.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

Cappuccino

$2.92 BZD 5.83

$1.71 COP 6,115

70.76%

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

$1.34 BZD 2.68

$1.10 COP 3,924

21.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 BZD 3.03

$0.78 COP 2,781

94.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 BZD 6.10

$1.68 COP 5,997

81.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 BZD 7.94

$3.07 COP 11.0K

29.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.12 BZD 8.25

$1.09 COP 3,906

277.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 BZD 2.64

$1.26 COP 4,508

4.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.22 BZD 8.44

$1.38 COP 4,922

205.80%

Eggs

$2.18 BZD 4.36

$2.19 COP 7,827

-0.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.98 BZD 19.96

$4.40 COP 15.7K

126.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 BZD 12.64

$5.63 COP 20.1K

12.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.28 BZD 16.57

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-6.86%

Apples (1kg)

$8.40 BZD 16.81

$2.34 COP 8,349

258.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 BZD 2.15

$1.06 COP 3,777

0.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 BZD 2.24

$1.50 COP 5,374

-25.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.59 BZD 11.18

$1.38 COP 4,924

305.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 BZD 5.53

$1.15 COP 4,111

140.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 BZD 6.08

$1.16 COP 4,155

162.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.53 BZD 7.06

$0.89 COP 3,182

296.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 BZD 2.46

$0.84 COP 2,997

46.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

Wine (Bottle)

$24.01 BZD 48.02

$10.64 COP 38.0K

125.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 BZD 4.96

$1.20 COP 4,284

106.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 BZD 6.59

$2.47 COP 8,824

33.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.95 BZD 9.90

$1.96 COP 7,009

152.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 BZD 3.30

$0.95 COP 3,409

73.68%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$174 BZD 347

$82.3 COP 293.7K

111.16%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 BZD 204

$24.23 COP 86.5K

319.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.41 BZD 58.8

$25.89 COP 92.4K

13.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 BZD 196

$103 COP 366.4K

-4.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 BZD 2,017

$476 COP 1.7M

111.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$746 BZD 1,492

$379 COP 1.4M

96.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 BZD 2,112

$838 COP 3.0M

25.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$897 BZD 1,795

$724 COP 2.6M

23.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,648 BZD 5,296

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-5.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,622 BZD 3,244

$1,211 COP 4.3M

33.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for San Pedro: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,008 in San Pedro versus $476 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 $29.00 in San Pedro versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $358 in San Pedro vs $188 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 Pedro vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Pedro is pricier by about 60%, 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 $2,432 per month in San Pedro and $1,519 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.

Groceries cost about 90% more in San Pedro, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in San Pedro and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in San Pedro at $1,622. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Pedro 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 Pedro makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.