Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Cruz and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Cruz and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $818 per month in Santa Cruz vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,366 per month in Santa Cruz vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Santa Cruz vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Santa Cruz is about 19% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Santa Cruz and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Santa Cruz 39% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.93 BOB 20.11

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-51.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.95 BOB 185

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-17.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 BOB 48.54

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-0.14%

Cappuccino

$2.72 BOB 18.63

$1.71 COP 6,115

59.06%

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

$0.82 BOB 5.65

$1.10 COP 3,924

-25.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 BOB 4.54

$0.78 COP 2,781

-15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 BOB 9.82

$1.68 COP 5,997

-14.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 BOB 13.29

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-36.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 BOB 7.42

$1.09 COP 3,906

-0.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 BOB 9.23

$1.26 COP 4,508

6.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 BOB 9.18

$1.38 COP 4,922

-2.90%

Eggs

$1.84 BOB 12.66

$2.19 COP 7,827

-15.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.58 BOB 31.40

$4.40 COP 15.7K

4.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.14 BOB 28.40

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-26.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.28 BOB 43.05

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-29.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 BOB 18.89

$2.34 COP 8,349

17.52%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 BOB 6.31

$1.06 COP 3,777

-13.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 BOB 7.73

$1.50 COP 5,374

-24.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 BOB 7.10

$1.38 COP 4,924

-24.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 BOB 6.31

$1.15 COP 4,111

-20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 BOB 6.43

$1.16 COP 4,155

-18.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 BOB 5.50

$0.89 COP 3,182

-10.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 BOB 7.64

$0.84 COP 2,997

32.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 BOB 14.61

$2.28 COP 8,145

-6.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.44 BOB 51.1

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-30.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 BOB 10.07

$1.20 COP 4,284

22.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 BOB 14.06

$2.47 COP 8,824

-17.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 BOB 2.05

$0.86 COP 3,056

-65.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 BOB 146

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-48.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 BOB 19.73

$1.47 COP 5,264

95.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 BOB 10.07

$1.96 COP 7,009

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.29 BOB 50.0

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-5.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.55 BOB 3.77

$0.95 COP 3,409

-42.11%

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

$29.5K BOB 202.4K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

62.73%

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

$27.1K BOB 185.9K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

2.30%

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

$54.1 BOB 371

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-34.18%

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

$22.94 BOB 157

$9.50 COP 33.9K

141.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.45 BOB 229

$24.23 COP 86.5K

38.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.55 BOB 216

$25.89 COP 92.4K

21.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.52 BOB 148

$19.00 COP 67.9K

13.26%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 BOB 48.28

$3.93 COP 14.0K

79.13%

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

$201 BOB 1,377

$309 COP 1.1M

-35.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,258 BOB 29.2K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-28.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.30 BOB 290

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-27.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.34 BOB 332

$32.35 COP 115.5K

49.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 BOB 580

$103 COP 366.4K

-17.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.0 BOB 411

$108 COP 387.2K

-44.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 BOB 2,753

$476 COP 1.7M

-15.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 BOB 1,793

$379 COP 1.4M

-31.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 BOB 5,170

$838 COP 3.0M

-10.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 BOB 4,394

$724 COP 2.6M

-11.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,511 BOB 10.4K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-45.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$844 BOB 5,788

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-30.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$526 BOB 3,608

$512 COP 1.8M

2.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

13.43

-50.34%

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

Last update for Santa Cruz: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $401 in Santa Cruz 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.

Salaries run about 3% higher in Santa Cruz, 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 $27.00 in Santa Cruz versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $167 vs $188 – making Santa Cruz 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 Cruz vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 24%, 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 $1,228 per month in Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz, 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 $27.00 in Santa Cruz 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 $818 in Santa Cruz and $1,013 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 Santa Cruz, where all-in costs run around $818, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Santa Cruz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santa Cruz – 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 Santa Cruz. 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.