Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Luis and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Luis and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $774 per month in Sao Luis vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,169 per month in Sao Luis vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,564 per month in Sao Luis vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Sao Luis is about 24% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Sao Luis and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Sao Luis 42% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.01 R$25.36

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-16.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.50 R$154

$32.86 COP 117.2K

-7.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.33 R$37.09

$7.09 COP 25.3K

3.39%

Cappuccino

$2.05 R$10.38

$1.71 COP 6,105

19.88%

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

$0.95 R$4.80

$1.10 COP 3,918

-13.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 R$2.80

$0.78 COP 2,776

-29.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 R$9.29

$1.68 COP 5,987

9.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 R$16.16

$3.07 COP 10.9K

3.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 R$4.86

$1.09 COP 3,899

-11.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 R$9.73

$1.26 COP 4,500

52.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.13

$1.38 COP 4,914

-26.81%

Eggs

$1.93 R$9.77

$2.19 COP 7,813

-11.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 R$47.49

$4.40 COP 15.7K

113.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 R$18.71

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-34.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.21 R$36.49

$8.89 COP 31.7K

-18.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 R$9.43

$2.34 COP 8,334

-20.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.10

$1.06 COP 3,771

14.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 R$4.85

$1.50 COP 5,365

-36.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 R$6.91

$1.38 COP 4,915

-0.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.61

$1.15 COP 4,104

-3.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.28

$1.16 COP 4,148

6.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 R$4.02

$0.89 COP 3,176

-11.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.86

$0.84 COP 2,992

-32.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.03 R$10.25

$2.28 COP 8,131

-10.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.03 R$40.62

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-24.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.56

$1.20 COP 4,276

-8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 R$9.82

$2.47 COP 8,809

-21.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 R$4.02

$0.86 COP 3,051

-8.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.80 R$181

$41.40 COP 147.6K

-13.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 R$4.74

$1.47 COP 5,255

-36.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 R$2.51

$1.96 COP 6,997

-74.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.49 R$32.84

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-16.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 R$4.79

$0.95 COP 3,403

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

$17.2K R$86.9K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

-5.29%

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

$25.8K R$130.4K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-2.67%

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

$84.0 R$425

$82.3 COP 293.2K

2.13%

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

$17.24 R$87.2

$9.50 COP 33.9K

81.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.25 R$82.2

$24.23 COP 86.4K

-32.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.13 R$91.7

$25.89 COP 92.3K

-29.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.52 R$78.5

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-18.32%

Cinema Ticket

$5.99 R$30.32

$3.93 COP 14.0K

52.42%

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

$204 R$1,030

$309 COP 1.1M

-34.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,284 R$21.7K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-28.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.54 R$225

$58.7 COP 209.1K

-24.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.88 R$242

$32.35 COP 115.3K

48.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.3 R$275

$103 COP 365.7K

-47.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 R$278

$108 COP 386.5K

-49.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 R$1,970

$476 COP 1.7M

-18.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 R$1,053

$379 COP 1.4M

-45.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$516 R$2,609

$838 COP 3.0M

-38.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 R$1,495

$724 COP 2.6M

-59.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,505 R$7,614

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-46.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$723 R$3,660

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-40.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$381 R$1,927

$512 COP 1.8M

-25.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

13.43

-18.69%

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

Last update for Sao Luis: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $389 in Sao Luis 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 34% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Sao Luis versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $177 vs $188 – making Sao Luis 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

Sao Luis vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 31%, 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 $1,161 per month in Sao Luis 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 Sao Luis, 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 $31.00 in Sao Luis 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 $774 in Sao Luis and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sao Luis, where all-in costs run around $774, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Sao Luis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sao Luis – 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 Sao Luis. 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.