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 $1,273 per month in San Rafael vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,106 per month in San Rafael vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,939 per month in San Rafael vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

San Rafael is about 22% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

San Rafael sits 8% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.83 ARS 16.3K

$8.04 COP 24.8K

34.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.7 ARS 76.4K

$48.29 COP 148.6K

4.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.33 ARS 21.6K

$9.42 COP 29.0K

52.12%

Cappuccino

$4.39 ARS 6,629

$2.94 COP 9,040

49.32%

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

$2.36 ARS 3,555

$1.86 COP 5,735

26.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ARS 2,850

$1.46 COP 4,479

29.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.94 ARS 5,949

$3.21 COP 9,882

22.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 ARS 6,820

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-20.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 ARS 2,080

$1.44 COP 4,428

-4.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 ARS 3,484

$2.40 COP 7,389

-3.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.68 ARS 4,037

$1.70 COP 5,228

57.65%

Eggs

$3.23 ARS 4,877

$2.89 COP 8,896

11.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.41 ARS 21.7K

$10.06 COP 30.9K

43.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 ARS 9,577

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-36.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ARS 16.3K

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-23.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ARS 3,486

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-41.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 ARS 3,378

$1.58 COP 4,878

41.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 ARS 2,037

$2.15 COP 6,624

-37.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 ARS 4,958

$2.30 COP 7,078

43.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 ARS 2,963

$2.00 COP 6,169

-2.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ARS 2,268

$1.51 COP 4,646

-0.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 ARS 3,020

$1.20 COP 3,701

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 ARS 3,790

$1.28 COP 3,946

96.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.77 ARS 4,181

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-27.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.02 ARS 7,575

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-64.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ARS 2,664

$1.71 COP 5,256

3.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ARS 4,589

$2.74 COP 8,440

10.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ARS 1,548

$1.25 COP 3,834

-17.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 ARS 3,057

$1.31 COP 4,016

54.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 ARS 1,526

$2.17 COP 6,680

-53.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 ARS 7,466

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-40.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ARS 1,888

$1.36 COP 4,172

-8.09%

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

$27.4K ARS 41.3M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-0.42%

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

$33.1K ARS 50.0M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-9.31%

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

$133 ARS 200.3K

$169 COP 519.2K

-21.28%

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

$17.38 ARS 26.2K

$13.57 COP 41.8K

28.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.55 ARS 35.5K

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-16.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.86 ARS 45.0K

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-34.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.01 ARS 10.6K

$6.65 COP 20.5K

5.41%

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

$174 ARS 262.2K

$803 COP 2.5M

-78.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,135 ARS 6.2M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-55.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 ARS 173.6K

$87.4 COP 268.8K

31.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$127 ARS 191.6K

$59.4 COP 182.7K

113.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$140 ARS 211.8K

$139 COP 427.5K

1.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 ARS 188.4K

$102 COP 314.0K

22.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 ARS 721.4K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-55.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 ARS 472.6K

$653 COP 2.0M

-52.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$974 ARS 1.5M

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-49.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$766 ARS 1.2M

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-26.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,387 ARS 3.6M

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-42.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

439.31%

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

Last update for San Rafael: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $478 in San Rafael versus $1,071 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 $51.0 in San Rafael versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $287 in San Rafael vs $300 in Medellin – so San Rafael 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 Rafael vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 29%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,910 per month in San Rafael and $2,462 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 $51.0 in San Rafael and $48.00 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 $1,273, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.