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 $1,162 per month in Santa Rosa vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,964 per month in Santa Rosa vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,766 per month in Santa Rosa vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Santa Rosa is about 29% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Santa Rosa sits 16% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.51 ARS 23.4K

$8.04 COP 24.8K

92.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.4 ARS 80.5K

$48.29 COP 148.6K

10.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 ARS 19.5K

$9.42 COP 29.0K

37.37%

Cappuccino

$3.93 ARS 5,930

$2.94 COP 9,040

33.67%

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

$2.16 ARS 3,264

$1.86 COP 5,735

16.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ARS 2,583

$1.46 COP 4,479

17.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 ARS 5,425

$3.21 COP 9,882

12.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ARS 5,521

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-35.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 ARS 2,101

$1.44 COP 4,428

-3.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 ARS 3,305

$2.40 COP 7,389

-8.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ARS 2,385

$1.70 COP 5,228

-7.06%

Eggs

$2.35 ARS 3,544

$2.89 COP 8,896

-18.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.14 ARS 15.3K

$10.06 COP 30.9K

0.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.58 ARS 9,924

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-34.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.72 ARS 17.7K

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-17.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ARS 3,481

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-41.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 ARS 3,382

$1.58 COP 4,878

41.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 ARS 2,062

$2.15 COP 6,624

-36.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 ARS 3,203

$2.30 COP 7,078

-7.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 ARS 1,645

$2.00 COP 6,169

-45.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ARS 1,488

$1.51 COP 4,646

-34.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 ARS 2,359

$1.20 COP 3,701

30.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ARS 2,533

$1.28 COP 3,946

31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ARS 4,861

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-16.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.98 ARS 7,509

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-64.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ARS 3,087

$1.71 COP 5,256

19.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ARS 4,282

$2.74 COP 8,440

3.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 ARS 1,488

$1.25 COP 3,834

-20.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ARS 2,456

$1.31 COP 4,016

24.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 ARS 1,528

$2.17 COP 6,680

-53.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.52 ARS 11.3K

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-9.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ARS 1,747

$1.36 COP 4,172

-14.71%

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

$28.0K ARS 42.3M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

2.07%

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

$33.2K ARS 50.1M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-9.11%

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

$84.8 ARS 128.0K

$169 COP 519.2K

-49.72%

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

$16.82 ARS 25.4K

$13.57 COP 41.8K

23.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.16 ARS 41.0K

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-4.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.03 ARS 45.3K

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-34.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$8.40 ARS 12.7K

$6.65 COP 20.5K

26.32%

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

$304 ARS 458.1K

$803 COP 2.5M

-62.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,259 ARS 6.4M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-53.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 ARS 162.1K

$87.4 COP 268.8K

23.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.8 ARS 115.9K

$59.4 COP 182.7K

29.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ARS 175.2K

$139 COP 427.5K

-16.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 ARS 190.6K

$102 COP 314.0K

23.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 ARS 732.8K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-54.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ARS 463.2K

$653 COP 2.0M

-52.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 ARS 1.5M

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-47.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$766 ARS 1.2M

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-26.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,372 ARS 3.6M

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-42.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

56.56

10.94

417.00%

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

Last update for Santa Rosa: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $486 in Santa Rosa versus $1,071 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 $53.0 in Santa Rosa versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Santa Rosa vs $300 in Medellin – so Santa Rosa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 41%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,743 per month in Santa Rosa and $2,462 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 $53.0 in Santa Rosa and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Rosa, where all-in costs run around $1,162, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.