Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Lucía Milpas Altas and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Lucía Milpas Altas and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $648 per month in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,084 per month in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,520 per month in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Santa Lucía Milpas Altas is about 35% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Santa Lucía Milpas Altas and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Santa Lucía Milpas Altas 51% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.58 Q 19.68

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-56.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.61 Q 119

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-52.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.18 Q 47.10

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-16.82%

Cappuccino

$3.40 Q 25.92

$1.65 COP 5,207

106.06%

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

$1.23 Q 9.39

$1.10 COP 3,468

11.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 Q 6.90

$0.78 COP 2,458

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 Q 25.57

$1.72 COP 5,412

94.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 Q 34.26

$3.18 COP 10.0K

41.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 Q 8.11

$1.10 COP 3,474

-3.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 Q 11.87

$1.26 COP 3,962

23.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.50 Q 3.78

$1.38 COP 4,349

-63.77%

Eggs

$1.60 Q 12.21

$2.18 COP 6,858

-26.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.93 Q 60.4

$4.49 COP 14.1K

76.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 Q 63.6

$5.79 COP 18.2K

44.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.60 Q 65.6

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-4.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 Q 25.69

$2.32 COP 7,308

45.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 Q 11.66

$1.06 COP 3,352

44.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.15 Q 24.01

$1.52 COP 4,774

107.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 Q 8.67

$1.36 COP 4,270

-16.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 Q 10.78

$1.13 COP 3,552

24.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 Q 8.60

$1.17 COP 3,689

-3.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 Q 4.05

$0.90 COP 2,838

-41.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 Q 5.79

$0.90 COP 2,823

-15.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.55 Q 27.04

$2.23 COP 7,034

59.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 Q 61.5

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-33.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 Q 12.21

$1.19 COP 3,743

34.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 Q 19.07

$2.48 COP 7,815

0.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 Q 40.25

$1.42 COP 4,459

271.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 Q 4.93

$1.95 COP 6,141

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.62 Q 119

$7.89 COP 24.8K

97.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 Q 8.54

$0.99 COP 3,118

13.13%

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

$19.8K Q 150.7K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

12.29%

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

$25.1K Q 191.1K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-6.45%

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

$81.3 Q 620

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-2.04%

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

$26.01 Q 198

$9.70 COP 30.5K

168.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.67 Q 196

$23.52 COP 74.1K

9.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$7.03 Q 53.6

$3.95 COP 12.4K

77.97%

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

$105 Q 804

$316 COP 994.2K

-66.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,756 Q 43.9K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-3.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 Q 383

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-16.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 Q 410

$31.82 COP 100.2K

69.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 Q 892

$102 COP 320.1K

15.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 Q 914

$107 COP 338.3K

11.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 Q 1,413

$719 COP 2.3M

-74.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.9

13.43

-33.73%

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

Last update for Santa Lucía Milpas Altas: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $217 in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas vs $193 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 Lucía Milpas Altas vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 55%, 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 $972 per month in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas and $1,504 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 $16.00 in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas 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 12% 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 Lucía Milpas Altas, where all-in costs run around $648, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Santa Lucía Milpas Altas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santa Lucía Milpas Altas – 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 Lucía Milpas Altas. 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.