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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $907 per month in San Rafael vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in San Rafael vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,954 per month in San Rafael vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

San Rafael is about 12% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both San Rafael and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – San Rafael 32% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.97 ARS 14.7K

$6.16 COP 20.1K

61.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.95 ARS 29.5K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-38.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.97 ARS 8,817

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-18.66%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ARS 2,606

$1.72 COP 5,600

2.33%

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

$1.01 ARS 1,494

$1.05 COP 3,420

-3.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 ARS 1,440

$0.77 COP 2,515

25.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ARS 1,452

$1.69 COP 5,488

-42.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ARS 2,177

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-53.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 ARS 1,507

$1.05 COP 3,423

-2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ARS 2,284

$1.30 COP 4,236

19.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 ARS 2,111

$1.40 COP 4,544

2.14%

Eggs

$1.58 ARS 2,341

$2.16 COP 7,047

-26.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.43 ARS 8,031

$4.39 COP 14.3K

23.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.38 ARS 10.9K

$5.88 COP 19.1K

25.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.55 ARS 9,684

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-24.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 ARS 2,605

$2.28 COP 7,426

-22.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 ARS 2,198

$1.11 COP 3,604

34.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 ARS 2,172

$1.53 COP 4,983

-3.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 ARS 1,356

$1.35 COP 4,410

-31.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ARS 1,030

$1.13 COP 3,674

-38.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 ARS 1,015

$1.13 COP 3,692

-38.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ARS 895

$0.85 COP 2,753

-28.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ARS 1,888

$0.91 COP 2,975

40.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 ARS 2,651

$2.34 COP 7,630

-23.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.90 ARS 7,241

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-60.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ARS 1,659

$1.20 COP 3,909

-6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ARS 2,445

$2.49 COP 8,104

-33.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ARS 1,220

$0.84 COP 2,728

-1.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 ARS 667

$1.42 COP 4,623

-68.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ARS 1,511

$1.92 COP 6,235

-46.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.78 ARS 7,059

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-37.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 ARS 1,228

$0.99 COP 3,223

-16.16%

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

$31.5K ARS 46.6M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

74.87%

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

$32.9K ARS 48.6M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

23.50%

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

$77.6 ARS 114.6K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-4.02%

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

$6.57 ARS 9,713

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-33.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.45 ARS 22.8K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-36.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.43 ARS 39.1K

$25.08 COP 81.7K

5.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.94 ARS 20.6K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-27.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.89 ARS 8,703

$3.98 COP 13.0K

47.99%

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

$102 ARS 151.2K

$305 COP 993.5K

-66.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,138 ARS 3.2M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-64.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 ARS 119.8K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

39.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.6 ARS 111.7K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

134.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 ARS 219.7K

$101 COP 327.9K

47.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 ARS 178.2K

$108 COP 350.8K

11.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$338 ARS 499.6K

$477 COP 1.6M

-29.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 ARS 348.3K

$376 COP 1.2M

-37.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$676 ARS 999.0K

$845 COP 2.7M

-19.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$539 ARS 797.1K

$730 COP 2.4M

-26.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,551 ARS 3.8M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-20.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,596 ARS 2.4M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

16.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

488.24%

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

Last update for San Rafael: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $338 in San Rafael 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in San Rafael versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $193 – making San Rafael 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 Rafael vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,360 per month in San Rafael 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 San Rafael, 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 $20.00 in San Rafael 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 8% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Rafael, where all-in costs run around $907, than in Medellin at $1,031. In San Rafael it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Rafael – 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 San Rafael. 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.