Cost of Living Comparison Between Santos and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Santos and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $969 per month in Santos vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,475 per month in Santos vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,980 per month in Santos vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Santos is about 4% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Santos and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Santos 28% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.39 R$26.96

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-10.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.48 R$138

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-16.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.93 R$29.65

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-16.36%

Cappuccino

$2.05 R$10.27

$1.71 COP 6,115

19.88%

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

$1.20 R$5.99

$1.10 COP 3,924

9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 R$4.44

$0.78 COP 2,781

14.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 R$10.60

$1.68 COP 5,997

26.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 R$13.15

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-14.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.05

$1.09 COP 3,906

-7.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 R$8.06

$1.26 COP 4,508

27.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.63

$1.38 COP 4,922

-3.62%

Eggs

$2.82 R$14.13

$2.19 COP 7,827

28.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.84 R$64.2

$4.40 COP 15.7K

191.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.26 R$21.33

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-24.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.62 R$43.13

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-3.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.03

$2.34 COP 8,349

-31.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.27

$1.06 COP 3,777

17.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 R$10.62

$1.50 COP 5,374

41.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 R$8.77

$1.38 COP 4,924

26.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.53

$1.15 COP 4,111

13.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.14

$1.16 COP 4,155

6.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 R$5.26

$0.89 COP 3,182

17.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R$6.52

$0.84 COP 2,997

54.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 R$11.03

$2.28 COP 8,145

-3.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.04 R$40.25

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-24.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 R$7.04

$1.20 COP 4,284

17.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 R$10.72

$2.47 COP 8,824

-13.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 R$4.41

$0.86 COP 3,056

2.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.29 R$222

$41.40 COP 147.9K

6.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 R$6.47

$1.47 COP 5,264

-12.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 R$4.17

$1.96 COP 7,009

-57.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.57 R$72.9

$7.74 COP 27.6K

88.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 R$5.40

$0.95 COP 3,409

13.68%

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

$20.3K R$101.7K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

12.12%

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

$28.8K R$144.3K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

8.86%

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

$85.8 R$429

$82.3 COP 293.7K

4.32%

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

$11.86 R$59.3

$9.50 COP 33.9K

24.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.05 R$105

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-13.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.38 R$112

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-13.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.51 R$243

$19.00 COP 67.9K

155.32%

Cinema Ticket

$7.68 R$38.42

$3.93 COP 14.0K

95.42%

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

$279 R$1,394

$309 COP 1.1M

-9.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,916 R$39.6K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

32.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.47 R$228

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-22.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.31 R$197

$32.35 COP 115.5K

21.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 R$392

$103 COP 366.4K

-23.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.51 R$208

$108 COP 387.2K

-61.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 R$2,059

$476 COP 1.7M

-13.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 R$1,610

$379 COP 1.4M

-15.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 R$3,995

$838 COP 3.0M

-4.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 R$2,659

$724 COP 2.6M

-26.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,499 R$12.5K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-10.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,764 R$8,829

$1,211 COP 4.3M

45.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 R$2,961

$512 COP 1.8M

15.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-10.65%

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

Last update for Santos: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $411 in Santos 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 16% higher in Santos, 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 $27.00 in Santos versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $215 in Santos vs $188 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

Santos vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,453 per month in Santos 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 Santos, 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 $27.00 in Santos and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $969 in Santos and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Santos, where all-in costs run around $969, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Santos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santos – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Santos. 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.