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 $1,052 per month in Santa Marta vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,421 per month in Santa Marta vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,789 per month in Santa Marta vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Santa Marta costs about 4% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Santa Marta and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Santa Marta 21% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 COP 12.7K

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-40.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.12 COP 100.4K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-14.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.21 COP 22.2K

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-12.41%

Cappuccino

$1.57 COP 5,615

$1.71 COP 6,115

-8.19%

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

$0.68 COP 2,426

$1.10 COP 3,924

-38.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 COP 1,663

$0.78 COP 2,781

-39.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.88 COP 3,146

$1.68 COP 5,997

-47.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 COP 5,865

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-46.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 COP 4,006

$1.09 COP 3,906

2.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 COP 4,294

$1.26 COP 4,508

-4.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 COP 3,244

$1.38 COP 4,922

-34.06%

Eggs

$2.46 COP 8,782

$2.19 COP 7,827

12.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.56 COP 12.7K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

-19.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.86 COP 13.8K

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-31.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.02 COP 28.6K

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-9.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 COP 6,446

$2.34 COP 8,349

-22.65%

Banana (1kg)

$0.77 COP 2,736

$1.06 COP 3,777

-27.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 COP 3,533

$1.50 COP 5,374

-34.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 COP 2,647

$1.38 COP 4,924

-46.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 COP 1,955

$1.15 COP 4,111

-52.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 COP 3,515

$1.16 COP 4,155

-15.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 COP 3,718

$0.89 COP 3,182

16.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 COP 1,827

$0.84 COP 2,997

-39.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.49 COP 8,896

$2.28 COP 8,145

9.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.57 COP 48.5K

$10.64 COP 38.0K

27.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 COP 5,281

$1.20 COP 4,284

23.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 COP 5,325

$2.47 COP 8,824

-39.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,573

$0.86 COP 3,056

-16.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 COP 51.6K

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-65.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 COP 5,944

$1.47 COP 5,264

12.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 COP 6,381

$1.96 COP 7,009

-8.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.51 COP 30.4K

$7.74 COP 27.6K

9.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 COP 3,271

$0.95 COP 3,409

-3.16%

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

$21.7K COP 77.3M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

19.46%

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

$26.3K COP 93.8M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-0.83%

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

$196 COP 699.7K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

138.21%

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

$8.85 COP 31.6K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-6.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.02 COP 85.8K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-0.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.61 COP 70.0K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-24.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.63 COP 27.3K

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-59.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.78 COP 17.1K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

21.63%

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

$161 COP 576.7K

$309 COP 1.1M

-47.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,882 COP 17.4M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-18.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.46 COP 144.5K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-31.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.11 COP 125.4K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

8.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 COP 286.3K

$103 COP 366.4K

-21.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 COP 208.2K

$108 COP 387.2K

-46.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 COP 1.0M

$476 COP 1.7M

-41.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 COP 1.6M

$379 COP 1.4M

15.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 COP 2.5M

$838 COP 3.0M

-16.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 COP 2.0M

$724 COP 2.6M

-22.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,900 COP 6.8M

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-31.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$952 COP 3.4M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-21.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$468 COP 1.7M

$512 COP 1.8M

-8.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

13.43

-35.82%

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

Last update for Santa Marta: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $281 in Santa Marta versus $476 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 9% 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 $28.00 in Santa Marta versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $163 vs $188 – making Santa Marta 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 Marta vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Marta costs about 4% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,579 per month in Santa Marta and $1,519 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 $28.00 in Santa Marta 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 $1,052 in Santa Marta and $1,013 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 $1,013, than in Santa Marta at $1,052. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santa Marta 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 Marta makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.