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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,518 per month in Santa Teresa vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Santa Teresa vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,050 per month in Santa Teresa vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Santa Teresa is about 10% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Santa Teresa and Medellin sit above the global median – Santa Teresa by 11%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.03 ₡4,456

$8.02 COP 25.5K

25.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.84 ₡19.0K

$47.87 COP 152.0K

-10.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 ₡4,208

$9.89 COP 31.4K

-4.25%

Cappuccino

$3.89 ₡1,729

$3.13 COP 9,941

24.28%

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

$2.07 ₡922

$1.91 COP 6,061

8.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ₡735

$1.51 COP 4,796

9.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 ₡1,340

$3.12 COP 9,921

-3.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 ₡2,096

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-18.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ₡916

$1.44 COP 4,590

43.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 ₡1,251

$2.49 COP 7,898

13.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ₡979

$1.77 COP 5,634

24.29%

Eggs

$2.90 ₡1,288

$2.96 COP 9,400

-2.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 ₡4,412

$10.07 COP 32.0K

-1.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.02 ₡4,008

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-10.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.71 ₡6,093

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-4.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 ₡1,963

$4.14 COP 13.1K

6.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ₡650

$1.61 COP 5,109

-9.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 ₡1,904

$2.25 COP 7,132

90.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.22 ₡1,430

$2.25 COP 7,154

43.11%

Potato (1kg)

$3.33 ₡1,482

$2.04 COP 6,489

63.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 ₡1,174

$1.54 COP 4,876

71.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₡445

$1.17 COP 3,716

-14.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₡1,307

$1.31 COP 4,150

124.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.87 ₡2,165

$3.90 COP 12.4K

24.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.05 ₡6,243

$14.01 COP 44.5K

0.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₡1,069

$1.74 COP 5,536

38.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 ₡1,128

$2.87 COP 9,116

-11.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ₡453

$1.22 COP 3,860

-16.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₡822

$1.31 COP 4,157

41.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 ₡792

$2.19 COP 6,947

-18.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.78 ₡3,456

$8.71 COP 27.7K

-10.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ₡629

$1.37 COP 4,336

2.92%

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

$37.2K ₡16.5M

$27.8K COP 88.4M

33.63%

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

$32.0K ₡14.2M

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-10.65%

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

$82.0 ₡36.5K

$177 COP 563.1K

-53.73%

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

$26.18 ₡11.6K

$13.88 COP 44.1K

88.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.27 ₡21.9K

$29.72 COP 94.4K

65.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.15 ₡21.8K

$44.88 COP 142.6K

9.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.85 ₡10.6K

$17.12 COP 54.4K

39.31%

Cinema Ticket

$8.83 ₡3,926

$6.65 COP 21.1K

32.78%

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

$574 ₡255.1K

$813 COP 2.6M

-29.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K ₡5.5M

$9,187 COP 29.2M

35.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 ₡27.5K

$89.5 COP 284.3K

-30.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 ₡22.5K

$59.0 COP 187.3K

-14.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 ₡56.7K

$138 COP 439.0K

-7.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₡47.1K

$102 COP 324.4K

3.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$703 ₡312.5K

$1,062 COP 3.4M

-33.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$603 ₡268.1K

$663 COP 2.1M

-9.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,423 ₡632.4K

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-24.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$967 ₡429.7K

$1,027 COP 3.3M

-5.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

10.94

-7.04%

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

Last update for Santa Teresa: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $703 in Santa Teresa versus $1,062 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 $43.00 in Santa Teresa versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $349 in Santa Teresa vs $305 in Medellin – so Medellin 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 Teresa vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 11%, 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 $2,277 per month in Santa Teresa and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Teresa, 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 $43.00 in Santa Teresa and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Santa Teresa, where all-in costs run around $1,518, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Santa Teresa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santa Teresa – 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 Teresa. 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.