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 $879 per month in Santa Cruz vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,438 per month in Santa Cruz vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,998 per month in Santa Cruz vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Santa Cruz is about 14% 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

$7.37 JMD 1,159

$5.95 COP 21.2K

23.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 JMD 9,958

$33.33 COP 118.9K

89.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.95 JMD 1,407

$7.23 COP 25.8K

23.79%

Cappuccino

$4.40 JMD 693

$1.63 COP 5,811

169.94%

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

$1.31 JMD 205

$1.09 COP 3,904

20.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 JMD 117

$0.73 COP 2,604

1.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 JMD 397

$1.74 COP 6,197

44.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 JMD 498

$3.23 COP 11.5K

-1.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.23 JMD 665

$1.05 COP 3,742

302.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 JMD 549

$1.29 COP 4,614

170.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 JMD 248

$1.32 COP 4,718

19.70%

Eggs

$3.42 JMD 538

$2.27 COP 8,101

50.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 JMD 1,768

$4.35 COP 15.5K

158.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 JMD 1,030

$5.88 COP 21.0K

11.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.54 JMD 1,187

$8.61 COP 30.7K

-12.43%

Apples (1kg)

$5.96 JMD 938

$2.25 COP 8,015

164.89%

Banana (1kg)

$3.16 JMD 497

$1.07 COP 3,814

195.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.13 JMD 650

$1.52 COP 5,438

171.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 JMD 472

$1.42 COP 5,073

111.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 JMD 326

$1.17 COP 4,173

76.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 JMD 305

$1.17 COP 4,166

65.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 JMD 470

$0.89 COP 3,163

235.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 JMD 229

$0.90 COP 3,215

62.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.01 JMD 1,417

$2.25 COP 8,008

300.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.47 JMD 1,804

$11.04 COP 39.4K

3.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 JMD 449

$1.14 COP 4,063

150.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 JMD 506

$2.38 COP 8,483

34.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 JMD 171

$1.41 COP 5,019

-22.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.16 JMD 497

$1.90 COP 6,779

66.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.15 JMD 967

$7.75 COP 27.6K

-20.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 193

$1.01 COP 3,586

21.78%

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

$43.6K JMD 6.9M

$17.6K COP 62.7M

148.16%

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

$34.0K JMD 5.3M

$26.5K COP 94.5M

28.16%

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

$162 JMD 25.4K

$83.7 COP 298.4K

93.03%

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

$22.34 JMD 3,514

$9.45 COP 33.7K

136.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.2 JMD 7,897

$24.11 COP 86.0K

108.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$12.93 JMD 2,034

$4.10 COP 14.6K

215.37%

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

$226 JMD 35.6K

$312 COP 1.1M

-27.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,445 JMD 384.5K

$5,993 COP 21.4M

-59.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.26 JMD 4,130

$58.0 COP 207.0K

-54.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.02 JMD 4,092

$32.56 COP 116.1K

-20.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 JMD 11.3K

$99.6 COP 355.3K

-28.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 JMD 11.7K

$109 COP 387.1K

-31.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$405 JMD 63.7K

$541 COP 1.9M

-25.15%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 34% 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: $350 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 $1,318 per month in Santa Cruz and $1,525 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 84% 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 $879, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.