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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,477 per month in Santa Marta vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,711 per month in Santa Marta vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,946 per month in Santa Marta vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Santa Marta is about 14% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Santa Marta and Medellin sit above the global median – Santa Marta by 8%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.3K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 152.0K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.8K

Cappuccino

$3.83 COP 12.1K

$2.91 COP 9,167

31.62%

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

$1.94 COP 6,122

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,792

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,740

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 COP 5,076

$1.36 COP 4,296

18.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 COP 7,184

$2.39 COP 7,519

-4.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 COP 3,705

$1.70 COP 5,356

-30.59%

Eggs

$2.48 COP 7,795

$2.87 COP 9,038

-13.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.40 COP 26.4K

$9.94 COP 31.3K

-15.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 COP 31.5K

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-7.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.34 COP 35.7K

$14.73 COP 46.4K

-23.01%

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 COP 13.1K

$4.09 COP 12.9K

1.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 COP 3,216

$1.57 COP 4,950

-35.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,412

$2.13 COP 6,695

-49.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 COP 6,556

$2.21 COP 6,972

-5.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 COP 2,906

$2.05 COP 6,447

-55.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,849

$1.50 COP 4,737

2.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 COP 3,069

$1.19 COP 3,747

-18.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 COP 2,066

$1.16 COP 3,647

-43.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 COP 13.0K

$3.90 COP 12.3K

5.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.09 COP 53.8K

$14.44 COP 45.5K

18.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.58 COP 4,987

-10.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 COP 4,417

$2.83 COP 8,905

-50.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 COP 2,850

$1.17 COP 3,679

-23.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 COP 10.3K

$1.28 COP 4,045

154.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,589

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,095

$1.30 COP 4,088

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

$23.8K COP 75.1M

$27.7K COP 87.1M

-13.77%

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

$34.5K COP 108.7M

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-2.76%

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

$159 COP 499.5K

$176 COP 554.5K

-9.92%

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

$9.41 COP 29.6K

$13.37 COP 42.1K

-29.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.28 COP 70.2K

$29.89 COP 94.1K

-25.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.72 COP 99.9K

$44.76 COP 141.0K

-29.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.7K

Cinema Ticket

$5.36 COP 16.9K

$6.20 COP 19.5K

-13.55%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K COP 34.8M

$9,019 COP 28.4M

22.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.7 COP 276.2K

$85.6 COP 269.6K

2.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.3 COP 196.3K

$58.5 COP 184.1K

6.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 COP 298.5K

$136 COP 429.3K

-30.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.2 COP 280.9K

$103 COP 324.7K

-13.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 COP 3.4M

$1,060 COP 3.3M

3.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$755 COP 2.4M

$680 COP 2.1M

11.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 COP 3.5M

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-45.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$645 COP 2.0M

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-44.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,101 COP 3.5M

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-73.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,194 COP 3.8M

$1,701 COP 5.4M

-29.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$544 COP 1.7M

$665 COP 2.1M

-18.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.54

10.94

78.61%

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

Last update for Santa Marta: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,094 in Santa Marta 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 22% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

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 Marta vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 16%, 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 $2,216 per month in Santa Marta 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 Santa Marta, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,477 in Santa Marta and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 14% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Marta, where all-in costs run around $1,477, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Santa Marta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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