Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Fe and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Fe and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $801 per month in Santa Fe vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,216 per month in Santa Fe vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,632 per month in Santa Fe vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Santa Fe is about 21% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Santa Fe and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Santa Fe 40% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.08 ARS 10.1K

$5.99 COP 21.4K

18.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.21 ARS 23.1K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-50.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 ARS 10.7K

$7.09 COP 25.3K

6.21%

Cappuccino

$1.68 ARS 2,402

$1.71 COP 6,115

-1.75%

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

$1.33 ARS 1,893

$1.10 COP 3,924

20.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 ARS 1,656

$0.78 COP 2,781

48.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 ARS 1,694

$1.68 COP 5,997

-29.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 ARS 3,647

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-16.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 ARS 1,443

$1.09 COP 3,906

-7.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ARS 1,412

$1.26 COP 4,508

-21.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 ARS 2,557

$1.38 COP 4,922

29.71%

Eggs

$1.46 ARS 2,089

$2.19 COP 7,827

-33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.97 ARS 12.8K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

103.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.06 ARS 8,643

$5.63 COP 20.1K

7.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.09 ARS 11.5K

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-9.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 ARS 2,696

$2.34 COP 8,349

-19.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 ARS 2,973

$1.06 COP 3,777

96.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 ARS 1,309

$1.50 COP 5,374

-38.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.72 ARS 3,886

$1.38 COP 4,924

97.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 ARS 734

$1.15 COP 4,111

-55.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ARS 1,960

$1.16 COP 4,155

18.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ARS 1,319

$0.89 COP 3,182

3.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ARS 2,659

$0.84 COP 2,997

121.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 ARS 4,751

$2.28 COP 8,145

46.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.86 ARS 6,937

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-54.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ARS 1,778

$1.20 COP 4,284

4.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ARS 4,535

$2.47 COP 8,824

28.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ARS 1,462

$0.86 COP 3,056

19.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 ARS 1,412

$1.47 COP 5,264

-32.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 ARS 1,240

$1.96 COP 7,009

-55.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.90 ARS 8,410

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-23.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ARS 1,524

$0.95 COP 3,409

12.63%

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

$29.8K ARS 42.6M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

64.58%

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

$29.5K ARS 42.1M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

11.40%

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

$55.0 ARS 78.5K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-33.13%

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

$7.76 ARS 11.1K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-18.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.82 ARS 21.1K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-38.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.67 ARS 56.6K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

53.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.54 ARS 19.3K

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-28.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.02 ARS 7,168

$3.93 COP 14.0K

27.74%

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

$221 ARS 315.2K

$309 COP 1.1M

-28.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,061 ARS 1.5M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-82.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.1 ARS 88.6K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

5.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.9 ARS 84.0K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

82.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 ARS 154.5K

$103 COP 366.4K

5.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.4 ARS 136.0K

$108 COP 387.2K

-12.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$319 ARS 454.5K

$476 COP 1.7M

-33.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 ARS 285.1K

$379 COP 1.4M

-47.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 ARS 834.3K

$838 COP 3.0M

-30.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 ARS 467.1K

$724 COP 2.6M

-54.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,268 ARS 1.8M

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-54.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,037 ARS 1.5M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-14.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$824 ARS 1.2M

$512 COP 1.8M

61.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

100

13.43

644.60%

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

Last update for Santa Fe: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $319 in Santa Fe versus $476 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 61% higher in Santa Fe, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Santa Fe versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Santa Fe vs $188 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Fe vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 26%, 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 $1,201 per month in Santa Fe and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Fe, 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 $16.00 in Santa Fe 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 10% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Fe, where all-in costs run around $801, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Santa Fe it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santa Fe – 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 Santa Fe. 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.