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 $1,056 per month in Santa Fe vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,621 per month in Santa Fe vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,186 per month in Santa Fe vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Santa Fe is about 36% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Santa Fe sits 23% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.12 ARS 15.3K

$8.04 COP 24.8K

25.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.79 ARS 57.0K

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-21.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.60 ARS 19.0K

$9.42 COP 29.0K

33.76%

Cappuccino

$1.78 ARS 2,682

$2.94 COP 9,040

-39.46%

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

$1.50 ARS 2,255

$1.86 COP 5,735

-19.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 ARS 2,074

$1.46 COP 4,479

-5.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 ARS 5,066

$3.21 COP 9,882

4.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 ARS 7,699

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-10.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 ARS 1,532

$1.44 COP 4,428

-29.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ARS 2,397

$2.40 COP 7,389

-33.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ARS 1,543

$1.70 COP 5,228

-40.00%

Eggs

$1.54 ARS 2,327

$2.89 COP 8,896

-46.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 ARS 12.5K

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-17.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.11 ARS 9,222

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-38.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.38 ARS 15.7K

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-26.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 ARS 3,011

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-49.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 ARS 2,313

$1.58 COP 4,878

-3.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 ARS 1,310

$2.15 COP 6,624

-59.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 ARS 3,644

$2.30 COP 7,078

5.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 ARS 821

$2.00 COP 6,169

-73.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 ARS 1,040

$1.51 COP 4,646

-54.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ARS 1,537

$1.20 COP 3,701

-15.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 ARS 1,550

$1.28 COP 3,946

-19.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ARS 4,857

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-16.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.82 ARS 7,269

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-65.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 ARS 1,903

$1.71 COP 5,256

-26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ARS 3,084

$2.74 COP 8,440

-25.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ARS 1,545

$1.25 COP 3,834

-18.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 ARS 1,527

$1.31 COP 4,016

-22.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 ARS 1,475

$2.17 COP 6,680

-54.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.30 ARS 11.0K

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-11.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ARS 1,733

$1.36 COP 4,172

-15.44%

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

$20.0K ARS 30.2M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-27.13%

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

$30.1K ARS 45.4M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-17.57%

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

$60.7 ARS 91.6K

$169 COP 519.2K

-64.02%

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

$19.75 ARS 29.8K

$13.57 COP 41.8K

45.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.87 ARS 31.5K

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-26.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.07 ARS 51.4K

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-25.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.75 ARS 7,162

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-28.57%

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

$300 ARS 453.3K

$803 COP 2.5M

-62.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,212 ARS 6.4M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-54.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.4 ARS 133.4K

$87.4 COP 268.8K

1.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.0 ARS 92.1K

$59.4 COP 182.7K

2.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ARS 178.0K

$139 COP 427.5K

-15.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 ARS 209.6K

$102 COP 314.0K

36.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 ARS 772.2K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-52.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 ARS 551.4K

$653 COP 2.0M

-44.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$903 ARS 1.4M

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-53.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$592 ARS 892.4K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-43.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,384 ARS 3.6M

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-42.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$826 ARS 1.2M

$655 COP 2.0M

26.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

56.56

10.94

417.00%

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

Last update for Santa Fe: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $512 in Santa Fe versus $1,071 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 26% 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 $38.00 in Santa Fe versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $300 – making Santa Fe 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 Fe vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 55%, 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 $1,585 per month in Santa Fe and $2,462 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 $38.00 in Santa Fe and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Fe, where all-in costs run around $1,056, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.