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 $1,745 per month in Santa Cruz vs $1,687 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,752 per month in Santa Cruz vs $2,535 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,759 per month in Santa Cruz vs $3,383 in Medellin, rent included.

Santa Cruz costs about 3% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Santa Cruz and Medellin sit above the global median – Santa Cruz by 27%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.20 ₡5,444

$7.89 COP 24.2K

54.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.2 ₡25.1K

$44.53 COP 136.5K

26.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.03 ₡4,923

$9.29 COP 28.5K

18.73%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,969

$2.90 COP 8,874

52.07%

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

$2.36 ₡1,055

$1.81 COP 5,541

30.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ₡869

$1.55 COP 4,741

25.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 ₡1,322

$3.25 COP 9,962

-8.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 ₡2,032

$5.88 COP 18.0K

-22.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 ₡1,026

$1.38 COP 4,230

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.33 ₡1,488

$2.45 COP 7,517

35.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 ₡1,092

$1.51 COP 4,617

62.25%

Eggs

$3.54 ₡1,578

$2.78 COP 8,516

27.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.88 ₡4,856

$9.05 COP 27.7K

20.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.08 ₡4,497

$10.65 COP 32.6K

-5.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,233

$14.63 COP 44.8K

-4.51%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 ₡2,302

$3.97 COP 12.2K

29.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ₡489

$1.38 COP 4,219

-20.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.78 ₡2,135

$2.30 COP 7,056

107.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.93 ₡1,753

$2.02 COP 6,185

94.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.86 ₡1,723

$2.09 COP 6,390

84.69%

Onion (1kg)

$3.82 ₡1,705

$1.63 COP 4,996

134.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡505

$1.08 COP 3,313

4.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.18 ₡1,420

$1.25 COP 3,843

154.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 ₡2,656

$4.03 COP 12.4K

47.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.70 ₡9,236

$13.47 COP 41.3K

53.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 ₡1,271

$1.60 COP 4,904

78.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ₡1,645

$3.00 COP 9,189

22.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.32 ₡588

$1.18 COP 3,611

11.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 ₡1,118

$1.61 COP 4,920

55.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 ₡725

$2.13 COP 6,533

-23.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 ₡3,891

$8.52 COP 26.1K

2.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 ₡689

$1.35 COP 4,142

14.07%

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

$22.1K ₡9.8M

$28.3K COP 86.8M

-22.10%

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

$35.7K ₡15.9M

$35.7K COP 109.4M

-0.09%

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

$104 ₡46.4K

$151 COP 463.8K

-31.38%

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

$36.11 ₡16.1K

$13.10 COP 40.1K

175.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.9 ₡26.3K

$32.30 COP 99.0K

82.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.7 ₡32.4K

$46.33 COP 141.9K

56.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.59 ₡2,940

$6.43 COP 19.7K

2.49%

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

$1,010 ₡450.8K

$835 COP 2.6M

20.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K ₡7.8M

$8,887 COP 27.2M

95.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.8 ₡32.9K

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-17.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.3 ₡25.1K

$55.3 COP 169.5K

1.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 ₡58.0K

$137 COP 418.5K

-4.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 ₡60.1K

$109 COP 335.1K

23.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$829 ₡369.9K

$952 COP 2.9M

-12.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$657 ₡293.2K

$668 COP 2.0M

-1.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,916 ₡855.3K

$2,020 COP 6.2M

-5.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,452 ₡648.2K

$1,148 COP 3.5M

26.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.89

10.43

-14.77%

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

Last update for Santa Cruz: August 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $829 in Santa Cruz versus $952 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 $56.0 in Santa Cruz versus $45.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 vs $297 – 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 Cruz vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Santa Cruz is pricier by about 3%, 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 $2,617 per month in Santa Cruz and $2,530 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 $56.0 in Santa Cruz and $45.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% more in Santa Cruz, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,687, than in Santa Cruz at $1,745. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santa Cruz 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 Cruz makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.