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 $1,319 per month in Santa Cruz vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,032 per month in Santa Cruz vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,745 per month in Santa Cruz vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Santa Cruz is about 20% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Santa Cruz sits 4% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.51 JMD 1,180

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-6.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.6 JMD 9,839

$48.29 COP 148.6K

29.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.53 JMD 1,025

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-30.68%

Cappuccino

$5.37 JMD 844

$2.94 COP 9,040

82.65%

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

$1.25 JMD 196

$1.86 COP 5,735

-32.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 JMD 107

$1.46 COP 4,479

-53.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 JMD 355

$3.21 COP 9,882

-29.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 JMD 490

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-45.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.21 JMD 661

$1.44 COP 4,428

192.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 JMD 397

$2.40 COP 7,389

5.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 JMD 254

$1.70 COP 5,228

-4.71%

Eggs

$3.53 JMD 554

$2.89 COP 8,896

22.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.47 JMD 1,802

$10.06 COP 30.9K

14.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 JMD 998

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-36.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 JMD 1,638

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-26.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.98 JMD 939

$3.98 COP 12.3K

50.25%

Banana (1kg)

$3.93 JMD 618

$1.58 COP 4,878

148.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.46 JMD 1,171

$2.15 COP 6,624

246.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.98 JMD 469

$2.30 COP 7,078

29.57%

Potato (1kg)

$3.22 JMD 506

$2.00 COP 6,169

61.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 JMD 411

$1.51 COP 4,646

72.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.15 JMD 495

$1.20 COP 3,701

162.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 JMD 226

$1.28 COP 3,946

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.61 JMD 1,510

$3.84 COP 11.8K

150.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 JMD 1,803

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-18.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 JMD 463

$1.71 COP 5,256

72.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 JMD 620

$2.74 COP 8,440

44.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 JMD 187

$1.31 COP 4,016

-9.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.07 JMD 482

$2.17 COP 6,680

41.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.42 JMD 1,009

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-22.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 JMD 217

$1.36 COP 4,172

1.47%

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

$44.5K JMD 7.0M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

62.06%

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

$33.4K JMD 5.2M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-8.57%

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

$178 JMD 27.9K

$169 COP 519.2K

5.30%

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

$28.99 JMD 4,554

$13.57 COP 41.8K

113.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 JMD 8,178

$28.32 COP 87.2K

83.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.11 JMD 5,829

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-18.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$13.09 JMD 2,056

$6.65 COP 20.5K

96.84%

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

$361 JMD 56.7K

$803 COP 2.5M

-55.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,150 JMD 1.3M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-11.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.06 JMD 3,780

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-72.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.68 JMD 4,977

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-46.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 JMD 12.0K

$139 COP 427.5K

-45.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 JMD 16.4K

$102 COP 314.0K

2.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 JMD 49.2K

$653 COP 2.0M

-52.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$504 JMD 79.2K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-51.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$409 JMD 64.3K

$655 COP 2.0M

-37.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

10.94

-13.62%

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

Last update for Santa Cruz: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 60% 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 $63.0 in Santa Cruz versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $374 vs $300 – 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 24%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,978 per month in Santa Cruz and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Santa Cruz and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Santa Cruz, where all-in costs run around $1,319, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.