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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,500 per month in Santa Monica, CA vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,801 per month in Santa Monica, CA vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $9,103 per month in Santa Monica, CA vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Santa Monica, CA costs about 162% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Santa Monica, CA and Medellin sit above the global median – Santa Monica, CA by 228%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.93 $29.93

$8.03 COP 25.3K

272.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$48.26 COP 152.0K

145.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.99 $13.99

$9.77 COP 30.8K

43.19%

Cappuccino

$5.70 $5.70

$2.91 COP 9,167

95.88%

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

$3.45 $3.45

$1.94 COP 6,122

77.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.52 COP 4,792

81.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.82 $7.82

$3.09 COP 9,740

153.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.97 $9.97

$5.74 COP 18.1K

73.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.36 COP 4,296

-2.21%

White Bread (500g)

$5.05 $5.05

$2.39 COP 7,519

111.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$1.70 COP 5,356

189.41%

Eggs

$6.00 $6.00

$2.87 COP 9,038

109.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.98 $16.98

$9.94 COP 31.3K

70.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.02 $14.02

$10.78 COP 34.0K

30.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.12 $20.12

$14.73 COP 46.4K

36.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$4.09 COP 12.9K

11.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.57 COP 4,950

21.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$2.13 COP 6,695

113.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$2.21 COP 6,972

162.90%

Potato (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.05 COP 6,447

60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.50 COP 4,737

80.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.19 COP 3,747

82.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.16 COP 3,647

84.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.80 $11.80

$3.90 COP 12.3K

202.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.79 $16.79

$14.44 COP 45.5K

16.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.58 COP 4,987

36.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.83 COP 8,905

4.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.17 COP 3,679

115.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.8 $66.8

$77.7 COP 244.8K

-14.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.28 COP 4,045

128.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$2.09 COP 6,589

-12.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.96 $27.96

$8.62 COP 27.1K

224.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.30 COP 4,088

12.31%

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

$36.5K $36.5K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

32.11%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-26.15%

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

$256 $256

$176 COP 554.5K

45.15%

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

$74.4 $74.4

$13.37 COP 42.1K

456.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.0 $78.0

$29.89 COP 94.1K

161.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.3 $73.3

$44.76 COP 141.0K

63.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.21 $44.21

$17.06 COP 53.7K

159.14%

Cinema Ticket

$19.87 $19.87

$6.20 COP 19.5K

220.48%

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

$1,926 $1,926

$793 COP 2.5M

142.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.7K $32.7K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

262.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.1 $89.1

$85.6 COP 269.6K

4.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 $56.7

$58.5 COP 184.1K

-2.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 $115

$136 COP 429.3K

-15.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$103 COP 324.7K

40.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,423 $3,423

$1,060 COP 3.3M

223.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,874 $2,874

$680 COP 2.1M

322.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,931 $5,931

$2,012 COP 6.3M

194.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,992 $4,992

$1,169 COP 3.7M

327.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.7K $10.7K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

160.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,198 $8,198

$1,701 COP 5.4M

381.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,139 $7,139

$665 COP 2.1M

973.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

10.94

-41.32%

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

Last update for Santa Monica, CA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,423 in Santa Monica, 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 973% higher in Santa Monica, 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 $118 in Santa Monica, CA versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $470 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 Monica, CA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Santa Monica, CA is pricier by about 162%, 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 $6,750 per month in Santa Monica, 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 $118 in Santa Monica, 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 $4,500 in Santa Monica, 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 Monica, CA at $4,500. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santa Monica, 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Santa Monica, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.