Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Maria, CA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Maria, CA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,954 per month in Santa Maria, CA vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,163 per month in Santa Maria, CA vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,373 per month in Santa Maria, CA vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Santa Maria, CA costs about 72% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Santa Maria, CA and Medellin sit above the global median – Santa Maria, CA by 115%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.15 $13.15

$8.03 COP 25.3K

63.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.5 $59.5

$48.26 COP 152.0K

23.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.94 $9.94

$9.77 COP 30.8K

1.74%

Cappuccino

$5.81 $5.81

$2.91 COP 9,167

99.66%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$1.94 COP 6,122

40.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.52 COP 4,792

32.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.16 $8.16

$3.09 COP 9,740

164.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.00 $9.00

$5.74 COP 18.1K

56.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.36 COP 4,296

-11.76%

White Bread (500g)

$5.76 $5.76

$2.39 COP 7,519

141.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$1.70 COP 5,356

161.18%

Eggs

$4.82 $4.82

$2.87 COP 9,038

67.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.59 $8.59

$9.94 COP 31.3K

-13.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 $7.54

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-30.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.42 $13.42

$14.73 COP 46.4K

-8.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 $1.34

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-67.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.57 COP 4,950

-8.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.13 COP 6,695

21.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.21 COP 6,972

51.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 $1.90

$2.05 COP 6,447

-7.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.50 COP 4,737

-31.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.19 COP 3,747

67.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.16 COP 3,647

90.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.80 $11.80

$3.90 COP 12.3K

202.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.92 $14.92

$14.44 COP 45.5K

3.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.58 COP 4,987

12.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 $3.10

$2.83 COP 8,905

9.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.17 COP 3,679

69.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.30 $49.30

$77.7 COP 244.8K

-36.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.59 $4.59

$1.28 COP 4,045

258.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.09 COP 6,589

-9.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.51 $35.51

$8.62 COP 27.1K

311.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.30 COP 4,088

3.08%

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

$37.0K $37.0K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

33.80%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-28.27%

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

$160 $160

$176 COP 554.5K

-9.31%

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

$72.1 $72.1

$13.37 COP 42.1K

439.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.1 $71.1

$29.89 COP 94.1K

137.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.84 $29.84

$44.76 COP 141.0K

-33.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.7K

Cinema Ticket

$11.95 $11.95

$6.20 COP 19.5K

92.74%

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

$1,929 $1,929

$793 COP 2.5M

143.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.9K $42.9K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

375.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.12 $47.12

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-44.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.82 $39.82

$58.5 COP 184.1K

-31.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 $79.2

$136 COP 429.3K

-41.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 $123

$103 COP 324.7K

19.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,216 $2,216

$1,060 COP 3.3M

109.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,758 $1,758

$680 COP 2.1M

158.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,462 $3,462

$2,012 COP 6.3M

72.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,912 $2,912

$1,169 COP 3.7M

149.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,539 $8,539

$4,111 COP 12.9M

107.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,478 $8,478

$1,701 COP 5.4M

398.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,295 $4,295

$665 COP 2.1M

545.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

10.94

-44.42%

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

Last update for Santa Maria, CA: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,216 in Santa Maria, CA versus $1,060 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 546% higher in Santa Maria, CA, 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 $60.0 in Santa Maria, CA versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $303 – 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 Maria, CA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Santa Maria, CA is pricier by about 72%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,431 per month in Santa Maria, CA and $2,574 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 $60.0 in Santa Maria, CA and $48.00 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 $2,954 in Santa Maria, CA and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Santa Maria, CA at $2,954. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santa Maria, CA 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 Maria, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.