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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,291 per month in Santa Lucia vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,809 per month in Santa Lucia vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,326 per month in Santa Lucia vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Santa Lucia costs about 29% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Santa Lucia and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Santa Lucia 3% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.81 CUP 236

$5.91 COP 18.6K

65.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.14 CUP 723

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-8.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.21 CUP 173

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-2.96%

Cappuccino

$3.35 CUP 80.5

$1.65 COP 5,207

103.03%

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

$1.07 CUP 25.66

$1.10 COP 3,468

-2.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 CUP 20.88

$0.78 COP 2,458

11.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 CUP 47.55

$1.72 COP 5,412

15.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 CUP 70.3

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-7.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 CUP 47.96

$1.10 COP 3,474

81.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 CUP 43.39

$1.26 COP 3,962

43.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 CUP 36.84

$1.38 COP 4,349

11.59%

Eggs

$3.72 CUP 89.2

$2.18 COP 6,858

70.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.38 CUP 153

$4.49 COP 14.1K

42.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.72 CUP 137

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-1.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.04 CUP 265

$8.97 COP 28.2K

23.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 CUP 66.4

$2.32 COP 7,308

19.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 CUP 36.24

$1.06 COP 3,352

42.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 CUP 48.67

$1.52 COP 4,774

33.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 CUP 54.6

$1.36 COP 4,270

66.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 CUP 48.55

$1.13 COP 3,552

78.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 CUP 41.30

$1.17 COP 3,689

47.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 CUP 24.49

$0.90 COP 2,838

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 CUP 23.57

$0.90 COP 2,823

8.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 CUP 93.9

$2.23 COP 7,034

75.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.20 CUP 293

$12.12 COP 38.2K

0.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 CUP 40.04

$1.19 COP 3,743

40.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 CUP 57.6

$2.48 COP 7,815

-3.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 CUP 4.97

$0.85 COP 2,687

-75.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.16 CUP 604

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-39.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 CUP 76.6

$1.42 COP 4,459

124.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 CUP 9.16

$1.95 COP 6,141

-80.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.78 CUP 355

$7.89 COP 24.8K

87.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 CUP 24.68

$0.99 COP 3,118

4.04%

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

$70.3K CUP 1.7M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

299.64%

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

$80.2K CUP 1.9M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

199.28%

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

$35.02 CUP 840

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-57.81%

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

$14.95 CUP 359

$9.70 COP 30.5K

54.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$252 CUP 6,042

$23.52 COP 74.1K

970.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.32 CUP 968

$25.26 COP 79.5K

59.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.30 CUP 367

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-19.90%

Cinema Ticket

$1.03 CUP 24.71

$3.95 COP 12.4K

-73.92%

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

$163 CUP 3,909

$316 COP 994.2K

-48.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,070 CUP 97.7K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-31.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.9 CUP 1,703

$60.0 COP 188.9K

18.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 CUP 1,305

$31.82 COP 100.2K

70.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 CUP 2,447

$102 COP 320.1K

0.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CUP 2,554

$107 COP 338.3K

-0.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 CUP 13.1K

$475 COP 1.5M

14.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 CUP 8,556

$374 COP 1.2M

-4.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$757 CUP 18.2K

$849 COP 2.7M

-10.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 CUP 11.9K

$719 COP 2.3M

-31.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$335 CUP 8,031

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-89.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$368 CUP 8,821

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-74.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$56.1 CUP 1,347

$624 COP 2.0M

-91.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.94

13.43

-63.22%

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

Last update for Santa Lucia: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $546 in Santa Lucia versus $475 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 1013% higher in Medellin, 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 $30.00 in Santa Lucia versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $245 in Santa Lucia vs $193 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Santa Lucia vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Santa Lucia is pricier by about 29%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,937 per month in Santa Lucia and $1,504 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $30.00 in Santa Lucia and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,291 in Santa Lucia and $1,003 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Santa Lucia at $1,291. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santa Lucia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Santa Lucia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.