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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,360 per month in Santa Tecla vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,954 per month in Santa Tecla vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,548 per month in Santa Tecla vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Santa Tecla costs about 32% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Santa Tecla sits 2% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 $7.79

$6.16 COP 20.1K

26.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.49 $35.49

$32.60 COP 106.1K

8.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.86 $6.86

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-6.54%

Cappuccino

$3.32 $3.32

$1.72 COP 5,600

93.02%

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

$1.10 $1.10

$1.05 COP 3,420

4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.77 COP 2,515

12.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.69 COP 5,488

15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-4.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.05 COP 3,423

65.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.30 COP 4,236

53.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.40 COP 4,544

5.71%

Eggs

$2.39 $2.39

$2.16 COP 7,047

10.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.22 $7.22

$4.39 COP 14.3K

64.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-7.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 $10.73

$8.64 COP 28.1K

24.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$2.28 COP 7,426

41.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.11 COP 3,604

55.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.53 COP 4,983

63.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.35 COP 4,410

103.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.13 COP 3,674

90.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.13 COP 3,692

88.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 $1.01

$0.85 COP 2,753

18.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 $1.07

$0.91 COP 2,975

17.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.94 $3.94

$2.34 COP 7,630

68.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.81 $11.81

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-4.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.20 COP 3,909

41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.49 COP 8,104

-2.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 $5.66

$1.42 COP 4,623

298.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.11 $3.11

$1.92 COP 6,235

61.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.26 $20.26

$7.66 COP 24.9K

164.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.99 COP 3,223

-2.02%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

39.38%

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

$28.7K $28.7K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

7.64%

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

$103 $103

$80.8 COP 263.1K

27.41%

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

$19.23 $19.23

$9.95 COP 32.4K

93.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.11 $41.11

$24.18 COP 78.7K

70.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.38 $25.38

$25.08 COP 81.7K

1.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 $5.16

$3.98 COP 13.0K

29.65%

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

$147 $147

$305 COP 993.5K

-51.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,937 $5,937

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-2.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.4 $67.4

$58.1 COP 189.2K

16.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.73 $43.73

$32.20 COP 104.8K

35.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$101 COP 327.9K

15.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$108 COP 350.8K

-3.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 $801

$477 COP 1.6M

68.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$591 $591

$376 COP 1.2M

57.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,181 $1,181

$845 COP 2.7M

39.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 $899

$730 COP 2.4M

23.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$407 $407

$617 COP 2.0M

-34.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.58

13.43

-36.11%

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

Last update for Santa Tecla: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $801 in Santa Tecla 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 52% 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 $35.00 in Santa Tecla versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 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 Tecla vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Santa Tecla is pricier by about 32%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,040 per month in Santa Tecla 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 $35.00 in Santa Tecla and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Santa Tecla, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Santa Tecla at $1,360. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santa Tecla 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 Tecla makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.