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 $899 per month in San Rafael vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,427 per month in San Rafael vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,955 per month in San Rafael vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

San Rafael is about 11% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both San Rafael and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – San Rafael 33% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.06 ARS 14.5K

$5.99 COP 21.4K

67.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.79 ARS 28.5K

$32.86 COP 117.2K

-39.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.10 ARS 8,777

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-13.96%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ARS 2,637

$1.71 COP 6,105

7.02%

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

$1.02 ARS 1,466

$1.10 COP 3,918

-7.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 ARS 1,478

$0.78 COP 2,776

32.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ARS 1,415

$1.68 COP 5,987

-41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ARS 2,115

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-52.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ARS 1,507

$1.09 COP 3,899

-3.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ARS 2,137

$1.26 COP 4,500

18.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 ARS 1,990

$1.38 COP 4,914

Eggs

$1.58 ARS 2,268

$2.19 COP 7,813

-27.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.64 ARS 8,115

$4.40 COP 15.7K

28.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 ARS 11.0K

$5.63 COP 20.1K

35.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.45 ARS 9,282

$8.89 COP 31.7K

-27.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 ARS 2,570

$2.34 COP 8,334

-23.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ARS 2,109

$1.06 COP 3,771

38.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 ARS 2,174

$1.50 COP 5,365

0.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 ARS 1,228

$1.38 COP 4,915

-38.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ARS 930

$1.15 COP 4,104

-43.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 ARS 1,027

$1.16 COP 4,148

-38.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ARS 876

$0.89 COP 3,176

-31.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 ARS 1,778

$0.84 COP 2,992

47.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.74 ARS 2,499

$2.28 COP 8,131

-23.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.96 ARS 7,129

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-53.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ARS 1,547

$1.20 COP 4,276

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ARS 2,393

$2.47 COP 8,809

-32.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 ARS 1,115

$0.86 COP 3,051

-9.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 ARS 590

$1.47 COP 5,255

-72.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 ARS 1,415

$1.96 COP 6,997

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 ARS 7,110

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-36.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 ARS 1,297

$0.95 COP 3,403

-5.26%

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

$31.8K ARS 45.8M

$18.1K COP 64.6M

75.44%

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

$33.4K ARS 48.1M

$26.5K COP 94.4M

26.24%

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

$76.9 ARS 110.6K

$82.3 COP 293.2K

-6.49%

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

$6.92 ARS 9,957

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-27.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.55 ARS 22.4K

$24.23 COP 86.4K

-35.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.95 ARS 37.3K

$25.89 COP 92.3K

0.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.87 ARS 20.0K

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-27.00%

Cinema Ticket

$5.88 ARS 8,454

$3.93 COP 14.0K

49.62%

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

$104 ARS 150.0K

$309 COP 1.1M

-66.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,181 ARS 3.1M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-63.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.2 ARS 119.7K

$58.7 COP 209.1K

41.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.4 ARS 109.8K

$32.35 COP 115.3K

136.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 ARS 214.2K

$103 COP 365.7K

45.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ARS 169.9K

$108 COP 386.5K

8.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$338 ARS 486.1K

$476 COP 1.7M

-29.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ARS 347.6K

$379 COP 1.4M

-36.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ARS 997.3K

$838 COP 3.0M

-17.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ARS 763.6K

$724 COP 2.6M

-26.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,059 ARS 3.0M

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-26.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $338 in San Rafael 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 $20.00 in San Rafael versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $188 – 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 13%, 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 $1,349 per month in San Rafael 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 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 5% 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 $899, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.