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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $976 per month in Santa Rosa vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,564 per month in Santa Rosa vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,151 per month in Santa Rosa vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Santa Rosa is about 4% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Santa Rosa and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Santa Rosa 27% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.71 ARS 15.3K

$5.99 COP 21.4K

78.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.35 ARS 49.0K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

4.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.13 ARS 13.0K

$7.09 COP 25.3K

28.77%

Cappuccino

$2.75 ARS 3,928

$1.71 COP 6,115

60.82%

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

$1.72 ARS 2,454

$1.10 COP 3,924

56.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ARS 2,213

$0.78 COP 2,781

98.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 ARS 2,928

$1.68 COP 5,997

22.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 ARS 4,250

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-2.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ARS 1,784

$1.09 COP 3,906

14.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 ARS 2,339

$1.26 COP 4,508

30.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 ARS 2,754

$1.38 COP 4,922

39.86%

Eggs

$2.16 ARS 3,086

$2.19 COP 7,827

-1.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.98 ARS 14.2K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

126.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.29 ARS 8,979

$5.63 COP 20.1K

11.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.13 ARS 13.0K

$8.89 COP 31.8K

2.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 ARS 2,882

$2.34 COP 8,349

-13.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 2,915

$1.06 COP 3,777

92.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 ARS 1,809

$1.50 COP 5,374

-15.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 ARS 3,752

$1.38 COP 4,924

90.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,695

$1.15 COP 4,111

3.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 ARS 1,778

$1.16 COP 4,155

7.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 ARS 1,821

$0.89 COP 3,182

43.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 ARS 2,035

$0.84 COP 2,997

70.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.17 ARS 4,516

$2.28 COP 8,145

39.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.23 ARS 7,459

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-50.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 ARS 2,982

$1.20 COP 4,284

74.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 ARS 4,481

$2.47 COP 8,824

27.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 ARS 1,169

$0.86 COP 3,056

-4.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 ARS 2,185

$1.47 COP 5,264

4.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 ARS 1,294

$1.96 COP 7,009

-53.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 ARS 8,531

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-22.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ARS 1,506

$0.95 COP 3,409

11.58%

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

$27.2K ARS 38.7M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

49.75%

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

$30.1K ARS 42.9M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

13.57%

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

$65.9 ARS 93.9K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-19.94%

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

$17.10 ARS 24.4K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

80.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.81 ARS 32.5K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-5.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.13 ARS 37.3K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

0.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.02 ARS 20.0K

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-26.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.31 ARS 9,007

$3.93 COP 14.0K

60.56%

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

$218 ARS 311.3K

$309 COP 1.1M

-29.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,745 ARS 3.9M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-53.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.7 ARS 105.2K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

25.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.8 ARS 101.0K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

118.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ARS 164.8K

$103 COP 366.4K

12.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 ARS 160.3K

$108 COP 387.2K

3.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$340 ARS 484.6K

$476 COP 1.7M

-28.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ARS 344.0K

$379 COP 1.4M

-36.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$689 ARS 983.3K

$838 COP 3.0M

-17.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$532 ARS 758.9K

$724 COP 2.6M

-26.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,026 ARS 2.9M

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-27.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

13.43

335.59%

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

Last update for Santa Rosa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $340 in Santa Rosa 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Santa Rosa versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $188 – 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 Rosa vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 4%, 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 $1,464 per month in Santa Rosa 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 Santa Rosa, 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 $34.00 in Santa Rosa and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 22% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Rosa, where all-in costs run around $976, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Santa Rosa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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