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 $1,375 per month in Santa Tecla vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,962 per month in Santa Tecla vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,548 per month in Santa Tecla vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Santa Tecla costs about 36% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Santa Tecla sits 3% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.81 $7.81

$5.99 COP 21.4K

30.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.13 $35.13

$32.86 COP 117.4K

6.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 $7.09

$7.09 COP 25.3K

Cappuccino

$3.31 $3.31

$1.71 COP 6,115

93.57%

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

$1.09 $1.09

$1.10 COP 3,924

-0.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 $0.90

$0.78 COP 2,781

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.68 COP 5,997

21.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-4.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.09 COP 3,906

61.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.26 COP 4,508

62.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.38 COP 4,922

12.32%

Eggs

$2.38 $2.38

$2.19 COP 7,827

8.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.94 $6.94

$4.40 COP 15.7K

57.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.62 $5.62

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-0.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 $10.80

$8.89 COP 31.8K

21.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.34 COP 8,349

32.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.06 COP 3,777

56.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.50 COP 5,374

74.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.38 COP 4,924

89.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.15 COP 4,111

96.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.16 COP 4,155

83.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 $1.00

$0.89 COP 3,182

12.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 $1.07

$0.84 COP 2,997

27.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.28 COP 8,145

78.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.21 $11.21

$10.64 COP 38.0K

5.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.20 COP 4,284

42.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.47 COP 8,824

2.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.44 $5.44

$1.47 COP 5,264

270.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.00 $3.00

$1.96 COP 7,009

53.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.18 $20.18

$7.74 COP 27.6K

160.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.95 COP 3,409

3.16%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

42.82%

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

$28.5K $28.5K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

7.65%

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

$103 $103

$82.3 COP 293.7K

24.86%

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

$19.19 $19.19

$9.50 COP 33.9K

102.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.32 $42.32

$24.23 COP 86.5K

74.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.70 $24.70

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-4.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$5.11 $5.11

$3.93 COP 14.0K

30.03%

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

$147 $147

$309 COP 1.1M

-52.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,045 $6,045

$5,965 COP 21.3M

1.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$58.7 COP 209.5K

14.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.92 $43.92

$32.35 COP 115.5K

35.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$103 COP 366.4K

10.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$108 COP 387.2K

-1.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 $786

$476 COP 1.7M

65.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 $606

$379 COP 1.4M

59.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 $1,210

$838 COP 3.0M

44.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$913 $913

$724 COP 2.6M

26.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$413 $413

$512 COP 1.8M

-19.40%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $786 in Santa Tecla 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.

Salaries run about 24% 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: $248 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 Tecla vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Santa Tecla is pricier by about 36%, 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 $2,063 per month in Santa Tecla 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 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 32% 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 $1,013, than in Santa Tecla at $1,375. 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.