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 $802 per month in Santa Cruz vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Santa Cruz vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,862 per month in Santa Cruz vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Santa Cruz is about 22% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Santa Cruz and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Santa Cruz 40% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.88 BOB 30.62

$6.16 COP 20.0K

-53.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.73 BOB 285

$32.60 COP 106.0K

-18.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 BOB 76.7

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-1.91%

Cappuccino

$2.85 BOB 30.34

$1.72 COP 5,592

65.70%

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

$0.78 BOB 8.32

$1.05 COP 3,416

-25.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 BOB 6.99

$0.77 COP 2,511

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 BOB 15.26

$1.69 COP 5,480

-15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 BOB 20.65

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-38.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 BOB 11.56

$1.05 COP 3,418

3.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 BOB 14.39

$1.30 COP 4,230

3.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 BOB 13.84

$1.40 COP 4,538

-7.14%

Eggs

$1.76 BOB 18.70

$2.16 COP 7,037

-18.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.75 BOB 50.5

$4.39 COP 14.3K

8.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.04 BOB 43.01

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-31.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.29 BOB 67.0

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-27.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 BOB 28.79

$2.28 COP 7,415

18.42%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 BOB 10.29

$1.11 COP 3,599

-12.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 BOB 12.21

$1.53 COP 4,976

-24.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 BOB 10.99

$1.35 COP 4,405

-23.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 BOB 9.73

$1.13 COP 3,669

-19.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 BOB 10.63

$1.13 COP 3,687

-11.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 BOB 8.42

$0.85 COP 2,749

-7.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 BOB 11.78

$0.91 COP 2,971

21.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.24 BOB 23.85

$2.34 COP 7,619

-4.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.30 BOB 77.7

$12.37 COP 40.2K

-40.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 BOB 15.03

$1.20 COP 3,904

17.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 BOB 21.66

$2.49 COP 8,094

-18.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 BOB 3.15

$0.84 COP 2,724

-64.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.01 BOB 224

$40.57 COP 131.9K

-48.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 BOB 31.42

$1.42 COP 4,617

107.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 BOB 15.23

$1.92 COP 6,227

-25.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.42 BOB 79.0

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-3.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 BOB 6.20

$0.99 COP 3,219

-41.41%

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

$29.1K BOB 310.2K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

61.54%

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

$27.4K BOB 291.7K

$26.6K COP 86.6M

2.87%

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

$55.4 BOB 590

$80.8 COP 262.7K

-31.47%

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

$22.26 BOB 237

$9.95 COP 32.3K

123.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.17 BOB 353

$24.18 COP 78.6K

37.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.35 BOB 345

$25.08 COP 81.5K

28.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.67 BOB 231

$19.15 COP 62.3K

13.16%

Cinema Ticket

$7.37 BOB 78.5

$3.98 COP 13.0K

85.18%

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

$203 BOB 2,161

$305 COP 992.2K

-33.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,245 BOB 45.2K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-29.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.54 BOB 453

$58.1 COP 189.0K

-26.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.82 BOB 509

$32.20 COP 104.7K

48.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 BOB 896

$101 COP 327.5K

-16.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.8 BOB 637

$108 COP 350.3K

-44.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 BOB 4,415

$477 COP 1.5M

-13.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 BOB 2,747

$376 COP 1.2M

-31.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$739 BOB 7,867

$845 COP 2.7M

-12.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$643 BOB 6,849

$730 COP 2.4M

-11.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,502 BOB 16.0K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-53.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$988 BOB 10.5K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-27.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$475 BOB 5,061

$617 COP 2.0M

-22.96%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $415 in Santa Cruz versus $477 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 30% higher in Medellin, 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 $27.00 in Santa Cruz versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $166 vs $193 – 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 29%, 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 $1,202 per month in Santa Cruz and $1,546 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 $802 in Santa Cruz and $1,031 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 $802, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.