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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,480 per month in San Salvador vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,194 per month in San Salvador vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,908 per month in San Salvador vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

San Salvador costs about 46% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

San Salvador sits 10% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.90 $7.90

$5.95 COP 21.1K

32.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.29 $35.29

$33.33 COP 118.2K

5.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.11 $7.11

$7.23 COP 25.7K

-1.66%

Cappuccino

$3.22 $3.22

$1.63 COP 5,779

97.55%

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

$1.11 $1.11

$1.09 COP 3,882

1.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 $0.86

$0.73 COP 2,590

17.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.74 COP 6,163

15.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$3.23 COP 11.5K

-9.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.05 COP 3,721

72.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.29 COP 4,588

60.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.32 COP 4,692

14.39%

Eggs

$2.76 $2.76

$2.27 COP 8,055

21.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.91 $6.91

$4.35 COP 15.4K

58.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.60 $6.60

$5.88 COP 20.9K

12.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.92 $10.92

$8.61 COP 30.5K

26.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$2.25 COP 7,970

43.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.07 COP 3,793

62.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$1.52 COP 5,408

71.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.42 COP 5,045

90.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.17 COP 4,150

91.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.17 COP 4,143

80.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 $1.01

$0.89 COP 3,146

13.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.90 COP 3,197

14.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.25 COP 7,963

80.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.85 $11.85

$11.04 COP 39.2K

7.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.14 COP 4,041

54.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.38 COP 8,435

5.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 $0.33

$0.84 COP 2,963

-60.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.21 $25.21

$41.95 COP 148.8K

-39.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.55 $5.55

$1.41 COP 4,991

293.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.90 COP 6,742

59.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.33 $20.33

$7.75 COP 27.5K

162.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.01 COP 3,566

1.98%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$17.6K COP 62.3M

42.76%

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

$28.6K $28.6K

$26.5K COP 94.0M

8.04%

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

$104 $104

$83.7 COP 296.8K

23.90%

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

$19.40 $19.40

$9.45 COP 33.5K

105.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.32 $41.32

$24.11 COP 85.5K

71.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.12 $31.12

$25.31 COP 89.8K

22.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.78 $19.78

$19.14 COP 67.9K

3.34%

Cinema Ticket

$5.20 $5.20

$4.10 COP 14.5K

26.83%

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

$149 $149

$312 COP 1.1M

-52.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,946 $5,946

$5,993 COP 21.3M

-0.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.5 $68.5

$58.0 COP 205.8K

18.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.83 $43.83

$32.56 COP 115.5K

34.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 $118

$99.6 COP 353.3K

18.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$109 COP 384.9K

-4.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$851 $851

$482 COP 1.7M

76.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$703 $703

$379 COP 1.3M

85.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,468 $1,468

$837 COP 3.0M

75.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 $1,096

$723 COP 2.6M

51.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,752 $2,752

$2,840 COP 10.1M

-3.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,844 $1,844

$1,223 COP 4.3M

50.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$380 $380

$541 COP 1.9M

-29.82%

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 Salvador: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $851 in San Salvador versus $482 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 42% 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 $35.00 in San Salvador versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $190 – making Medellin 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 Salvador vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Salvador is pricier by about 46%, 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 $2,220 per month in San Salvador and $1,525 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 $35.00 in San Salvador 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 $1,480 in San Salvador and $1,017 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 $1,017, than in San Salvador at $1,480. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Salvador 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.

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