Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Clarita, CA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Clarita, CA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,747 per month in Santa Clarita, CA vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,999 per month in Santa Clarita, CA vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,251 per month in Santa Clarita, CA vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Santa Clarita, CA costs about 269% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Santa Clarita, CA sits 179% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.48 $18.48

$5.95 COP 20.8K

210.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 $86.5

$33.33 COP 116.3K

159.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.07 $15.07

$7.23 COP 25.2K

108.44%

Cappuccino

$6.06 $6.06

$1.63 COP 5,687

271.78%

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

$3.10 $3.10

$1.09 COP 3,821

184.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$0.73 COP 2,548

231.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.23 $9.23

$1.74 COP 6,065

430.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.81 $8.81

$3.23 COP 11.3K

172.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.05 COP 3,662

21.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.92 $3.92

$1.29 COP 4,515

203.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.12 $5.12

$1.32 COP 4,617

287.88%

Eggs

$5.51 $5.51

$2.27 COP 7,927

142.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$4.35 COP 15.2K

435.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.59 $10.59

$5.88 COP 20.5K

80.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.84 $16.84

$8.61 COP 30.0K

95.59%

Apples (1kg)

$6.47 $6.47

$2.25 COP 7,844

187.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.07 COP 3,733

87.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.52 COP 5,322

144.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.42 COP 4,964

117.61%

Potato (1kg)

$10.22 $10.22

$1.17 COP 4,084

773.50%

Onion (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$1.17 COP 4,077

286.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.09 $3.09

$0.89 COP 3,096

247.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$0.90 COP 3,146

228.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.03 $13.03

$2.25 COP 7,837

479.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 $14.81

$11.04 COP 38.5K

34.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.14 COP 3,977

48.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 $3.96

$2.38 COP 8,301

66.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 $2.55

$0.84 COP 2,916

203.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.06 $27.06

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-35.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.95 $5.95

$1.41 COP 4,912

321.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.90 COP 6,634

5.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$51.9 $51.9

$7.75 COP 27.0K

569.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.01 COP 3,509

19.80%

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

$19.9K $19.9K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

13.07%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-4.04%

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

$229 $229

$83.7 COP 292.1K

173.69%

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

$62.0 $62.0

$9.45 COP 33.0K

556.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.8 $75.8

$24.11 COP 84.1K

214.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.72 $37.72

$25.31 COP 88.3K

49.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.63 $24.63

$19.14 COP 66.8K

28.68%

Cinema Ticket

$12.32 $12.32

$4.10 COP 14.3K

200.49%

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

$1,399 $1,399

$312 COP 1.1M

348.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.2K $37.2K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

521.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.8 $70.8

$58.0 COP 202.6K

22.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.82 $14.82

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-54.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.60 $49.60

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-50.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 $142

$109 COP 378.8K

30.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,961 $2,961

$482 COP 1.7M

513.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,276 $2,276

$379 COP 1.3M

499.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,890 $3,890

$837 COP 2.9M

364.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,165 $3,165

$723 COP 2.5M

337.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,665 $3,665

$2,840 COP 9.9M

29.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,276 $4,276

$1,223 COP 4.3M

249.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,246 $5,246

$541 COP 1.9M

869.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

13.43

-50.26%

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

Last update for Santa Clarita, CA: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,961 in Santa Clarita, CA 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 870% higher in Santa Clarita, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in Santa Clarita, CA versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $476 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

Santa Clarita, CA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Santa Clarita, CA is pricier by about 269%, 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 $5,620 per month in Santa Clarita, CA 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 $86.0 in Santa Clarita, CA 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 $3,747 in Santa Clarita, CA 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 Santa Clarita, CA at $3,747. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santa Clarita, CA 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, Santa Clarita, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.