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 $1,078 per month in Santa Marta vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,454 per month in Santa Marta vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,830 per month in Santa Marta vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Santa Marta costs about 5% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Santa Marta and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Santa Marta 19% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.66 COP 11.9K

$6.16 COP 20.0K

-40.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.29 COP 92.0K

$32.60 COP 106.0K

-13.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.22 COP 20.2K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-15.26%

Cappuccino

$1.55 COP 5,030

$1.72 COP 5,592

-9.88%

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

$0.73 COP 2,369

$1.05 COP 3,416

-30.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 COP 1,500

$0.77 COP 2,511

-40.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.82 COP 2,673

$1.69 COP 5,480

-51.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 COP 5,476

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-47.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 3,624

$1.05 COP 3,418

5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 COP 3,864

$1.30 COP 4,230

-8.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 COP 2,915

$1.40 COP 4,538

-35.71%

Eggs

$2.45 COP 7,949

$2.16 COP 7,037

13.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.69 COP 12.0K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

-15.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 COP 13.2K

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-30.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 COP 25.5K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-9.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 COP 5,673

$2.28 COP 7,415

-23.68%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 COP 2,467

$1.11 COP 3,599

-31.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 COP 3,193

$1.53 COP 4,976

-35.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 COP 2,317

$1.35 COP 4,405

-47.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 COP 1,668

$1.13 COP 3,669

-54.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 COP 3,227

$1.13 COP 3,687

-12.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 COP 3,383

$0.85 COP 2,749

22.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 COP 1,788

$0.91 COP 2,971

-39.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.41 COP 7,824

$2.34 COP 7,619

2.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.04 COP 48.9K

$12.37 COP 40.2K

21.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,752

$1.20 COP 3,904

21.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,582

$2.49 COP 8,094

-43.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 COP 2,205

$0.84 COP 2,724

-19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.46 COP 47.0K

$40.57 COP 131.9K

-64.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 COP 5,474

$1.42 COP 4,617

18.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 COP 5,813

$1.92 COP 6,227

-6.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.42 COP 27.4K

$7.66 COP 24.9K

9.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 COP 3,190

$0.99 COP 3,219

-1.01%

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

$21.2K COP 68.9M

$18.0K COP 58.6M

17.51%

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

$26.2K COP 85.2M

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-1.62%

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

$192 COP 624.2K

$80.8 COP 262.7K

137.58%

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

$8.78 COP 28.6K

$9.95 COP 32.3K

-11.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.15 COP 78.5K

$24.18 COP 78.6K

-0.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.49 COP 63.4K

$25.08 COP 81.5K

-22.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.94 COP 25.8K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-58.54%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 COP 15.8K

$3.98 COP 13.0K

22.36%

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

$167 COP 542.4K

$305 COP 992.2K

-45.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,906 COP 16.0M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-19.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.94 COP 129.8K

$58.1 COP 189.0K

-31.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.37 COP 115.0K

$32.20 COP 104.7K

9.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 COP 259.6K

$101 COP 327.5K

-20.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 COP 194.6K

$108 COP 350.3K

-44.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 COP 912.6K

$477 COP 1.5M

-41.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$450 COP 1.5M

$376 COP 1.2M

19.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$685 COP 2.2M

$845 COP 2.7M

-18.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 COP 1.8M

$730 COP 2.4M

-22.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,078 COP 6.8M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-35.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$996 COP 3.2M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-27.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$530 COP 1.7M

$617 COP 2.0M

-14.05%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $281 in Santa Marta versus $477 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 16% 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: $167 vs $193 – 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 5% 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 $1,617 per month in Santa Marta and $1,546 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 $1,078 in Santa Marta and $1,031 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 $1,031, than in Santa Marta at $1,078. 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.