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 $962 per month in Santa Rosa vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,567 per month in Santa Rosa vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,172 per month in Santa Rosa vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Santa Rosa is about 7% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Santa Rosa and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Santa Rosa 28% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.47 ARS 15.5K

$6.16 COP 20.1K

69.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.34 ARS 50.8K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

5.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.32 ARS 13.8K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

26.98%

Cappuccino

$2.74 ARS 4,056

$1.72 COP 5,600

59.30%

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

$1.65 ARS 2,442

$1.05 COP 3,420

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ARS 2,212

$0.77 COP 2,515

94.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ARS 3,180

$1.69 COP 5,488

27.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 ARS 4,511

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-3.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ARS 1,840

$1.05 COP 3,423

18.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ARS 2,349

$1.30 COP 4,236

22.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 ARS 2,972

$1.40 COP 4,544

43.57%

Eggs

$2.26 ARS 3,342

$2.16 COP 7,047

4.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 ARS 15.0K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

131.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.22 ARS 9,195

$5.88 COP 19.1K

5.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.39 ARS 13.9K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

8.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 ARS 2,864

$2.28 COP 7,426

-14.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 3,013

$1.11 COP 3,604

83.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ARS 1,929

$1.53 COP 4,983

-14.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 ARS 3,707

$1.35 COP 4,410

85.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,761

$1.13 COP 3,674

5.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,760

$1.13 COP 3,692

5.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 ARS 1,923

$0.85 COP 2,753

52.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ARS 2,206

$0.91 COP 2,975

63.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 ARS 4,604

$2.34 COP 7,630

32.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.04 ARS 7,452

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-59.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 ARS 3,053

$1.20 COP 3,909

72.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ARS 4,476

$2.49 COP 8,104

21.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 ARS 1,161

$0.84 COP 2,728

-5.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 ARS 2,271

$1.42 COP 4,623

8.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 ARS 1,290

$1.92 COP 6,235

-54.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.94 ARS 8,775

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-22.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ARS 1,581

$0.99 COP 3,223

8.08%

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

$27.7K ARS 40.9M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

53.53%

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

$30.8K ARS 45.5M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

15.74%

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

$65.7 ARS 97.1K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-18.75%

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

$17.41 ARS 25.7K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

74.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.91 ARS 33.9K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-5.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.68 ARS 38.0K

$25.08 COP 81.7K

2.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.57 ARS 20.1K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-29.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.08 ARS 8,984

$3.98 COP 13.0K

52.76%

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

$223 ARS 330.0K

$305 COP 993.5K

-26.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,666 ARS 3.9M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-56.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 ARS 109.7K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

27.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.5 ARS 104.1K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

118.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ARS 171.6K

$101 COP 327.9K

15.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 ARS 162.7K

$108 COP 350.8K

2.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 ARS 491.4K

$477 COP 1.6M

-30.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 ARS 348.7K

$376 COP 1.2M

-37.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$679 ARS 1.0M

$845 COP 2.7M

-19.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$542 ARS 801.7K

$730 COP 2.4M

-25.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,492 ARS 3.7M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-22.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,387 ARS 2.1M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

1.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $333 in Santa Rosa 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.

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 $193 – 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 7%, 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 $1,443 per month in Santa Rosa 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 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 19% 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 $962, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.