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 $868 per month in Santa Cruz vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,448 per month in Santa Cruz vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,027 per month in Santa Cruz vs $2,200 in Medellin, rent included.

Santa Cruz is about 15% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Santa Cruz and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Santa Cruz 35% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.44 JMD 1,172

$5.93 COP 19.1K

25.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 JMD 9,961

$33.12 COP 106.5K

91.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 JMD 1,379

$7.12 COP 22.9K

23.03%

Cappuccino

$4.35 JMD 685

$1.71 COP 5,484

154.39%

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

$1.35 JMD 213

$1.05 COP 3,373

28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 JMD 112

$0.72 COP 2,323

-1.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 JMD 384

$1.72 COP 5,529

41.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 JMD 498

$3.17 COP 10.2K

-0.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.44 JMD 699

$1.06 COP 3,425

318.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.61 JMD 569

$1.31 COP 4,213

175.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 JMD 248

$1.33 COP 4,277

18.80%

Eggs

$3.58 JMD 564

$2.28 COP 7,334

57.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.92 JMD 1,719

$4.42 COP 14.2K

147.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 JMD 1,029

$5.92 COP 19.0K

10.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.57 JMD 1,192

$8.64 COP 27.8K

-12.38%

Apples (1kg)

$5.93 JMD 934

$2.34 COP 7,541

153.42%

Banana (1kg)

$3.01 JMD 474

$1.10 COP 3,544

173.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 JMD 653

$1.47 COP 4,721

181.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.01 JMD 475

$1.38 COP 4,437

118.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 JMD 330

$1.17 COP 3,772

78.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 JMD 314

$1.17 COP 3,763

70.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 JMD 468

$0.90 COP 2,904

230.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 JMD 233

$0.84 COP 2,707

76.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.88 JMD 1,398

$2.33 COP 7,486

281.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.15 JMD 1,756

$11.92 COP 38.3K

-6.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 JMD 452

$1.15 COP 3,692

149.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 JMD 488

$2.42 COP 7,787

28.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,700

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 JMD 175

$1.41 COP 4,539

-21.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.09 JMD 487

$1.91 COP 6,157

61.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.36 JMD 1,001

$7.83 COP 25.2K

-18.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 194

$0.94 COP 3,035

30.85%

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

$42.8K JMD 6.7M

$17.8K COP 57.3M

140.35%

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

$33.4K JMD 5.3M

$27.1K COP 87.1M

23.36%

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

$161 JMD 25.4K

$83.3 COP 267.8K

93.72%

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

$21.95 JMD 3,457

$9.66 COP 31.1K

127.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 JMD 8,162

$24.22 COP 77.9K

114.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

Cinema Ticket

$13.26 JMD 2,087

$4.07 COP 13.1K

225.80%

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

$227 JMD 35.7K

$307 COP 986.0K

-26.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,505 JMD 394.4K

$5,981 COP 19.2M

-58.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.76 JMD 4,057

$60.0 COP 192.8K

-57.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.96 JMD 4,087

$32.65 COP 105.0K

-20.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.2 JMD 11.1K

$101 COP 325.1K

-30.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.2 JMD 12.0K

$108 COP 347.5K

-29.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$401 JMD 63.1K

$622 COP 2.0M

-35.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

13.43

-31.87%

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

Last update for Santa Cruz: July 21, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 55% 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 $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $192 – 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 17%, 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 $1,303 per month in Santa Cruz and $1,527 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 $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 83% 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 $868, than in Medellin at $1,018. 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.