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 $878 per month in Santa Cruz vs $1,014 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,429 per month in Santa Cruz vs $1,596 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,981 per month in Santa Cruz vs $2,178 in Medellin, rent included.

Santa Cruz is about 13% 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 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.66 JMD 1,213

$6.14 COP 22.1K

24.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.0 JMD 9,819

$33.05 COP 119.0K

87.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.89 JMD 1,407

$7.32 COP 26.4K

21.45%

Cappuccino

$4.39 JMD 695

$1.66 COP 5,973

164.46%

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

$1.31 JMD 207

$1.10 COP 3,978

19.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 JMD 120

$0.78 COP 2,816

-2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 JMD 405

$1.71 COP 6,174

49.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 JMD 498

$3.17 COP 11.4K

-0.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.44 JMD 703

$1.11 COP 4,003

300.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 JMD 573

$1.31 COP 4,709

176.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 JMD 246

$1.38 COP 4,969

12.32%

Eggs

$3.48 JMD 550

$2.22 COP 7,992

56.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.91 JMD 1,727

$4.34 COP 15.6K

151.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 JMD 1,029

$5.80 COP 20.9K

12.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.69 JMD 1,216

$8.98 COP 32.3K

-14.37%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 JMD 948

$2.26 COP 8,146

165.04%

Banana (1kg)

$3.15 JMD 499

$1.11 COP 4,014

183.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 JMD 682

$1.46 COP 5,273

195.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 JMD 468

$1.37 COP 4,918

116.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 JMD 332

$1.11 COP 4,000

89.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 JMD 320

$1.16 COP 4,190

74.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.09 JMD 490

$0.89 COP 3,204

247.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 JMD 237

$0.87 COP 3,117

72.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.68 JMD 1,374

$2.35 COP 8,476

269.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.38 JMD 1,801

$10.86 COP 39.1K

4.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 JMD 455

$1.20 COP 4,321

140.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 JMD 510

$2.48 COP 8,927

29.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,836

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 146.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 JMD 177

$1.42 COP 5,125

-21.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.27 JMD 517

$1.91 COP 6,885

71.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.12 JMD 968

$7.65 COP 27.6K

-20.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 194

$0.97 COP 3,482

26.80%

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

$43.5K JMD 6.9M

$18.1K COP 65.2M

140.10%

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

$33.3K JMD 5.3M

$26.3K COP 94.8M

26.54%

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

$161 JMD 25.5K

$81.3 COP 292.9K

98.20%

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

$21.96 JMD 3,476

$9.63 COP 34.7K

128.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 JMD 8,200

$24.36 COP 87.8K

112.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.02 COP 93.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.1K

Cinema Ticket

$12.91 JMD 2,043

$3.89 COP 14.0K

231.88%

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

$225 JMD 35.6K

$304 COP 1.1M

-26.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,521 JMD 398.9K

$5,902 COP 21.3M

-57.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.24 JMD 4,153

$58.7 COP 211.4K

-55.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.28 JMD 4,001

$32.48 COP 117.0K

-22.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 JMD 11.2K

$102 COP 366.5K

-30.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.9 JMD 12.2K

$108 COP 389.6K

-28.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 COP 3.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$401 JMD 63.4K

$542 COP 2.0M

-26.04%

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: April 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $0 in Santa Cruz versus $474 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 35% 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 $62 in Santa Cruz versus $33 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $190 – 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 16%, 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 $1,317 per month in Santa Cruz and $1,522 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 $62.0 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 86% 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 $878, than in Medellin at $1,014. 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.