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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,237 per month in Sao Tome vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,954 per month in Sao Tome vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,672 per month in Sao Tome vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Sao Tome is about 28% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Sao Tome sits 10% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.37 STN 198

$8.03 COP 25.1K

16.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.23 STN 975

$48.26 COP 150.8K

-4.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.13 STN 171

$9.77 COP 30.5K

-16.79%

Cappuccino

$2.37 STN 50.1

$2.91 COP 9,095

-18.56%

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

$1.86 STN 39.18

$1.94 COP 6,074

-4.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 STN 26.83

$1.52 COP 4,754

-16.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 STN 36.24

$3.09 COP 9,663

-44.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 STN 40.43

$5.74 COP 17.9K

-66.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 STN 34.94

$1.36 COP 4,262

22.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 STN 21.24

$2.39 COP 7,460

-57.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 STN 45.56

$1.70 COP 5,314

27.06%

Eggs

$5.07 STN 107

$2.87 COP 8,967

76.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.55 STN 434

$9.94 COP 31.1K

106.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.10 STN 424

$10.78 COP 33.7K

86.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.81 STN 524

$14.73 COP 46.0K

68.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 STN 81.8

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-5.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 STN 38.59

$1.57 COP 4,911

16.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.81 STN 80.4

$2.13 COP 6,642

78.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 STN 77.5

$2.21 COP 6,917

66.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 STN 62.8

$2.05 COP 6,396

45.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 STN 52.5

$1.50 COP 4,700

66.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 STN 11.11

$1.19 COP 3,718

-55.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 STN 44.21

$1.16 COP 3,619

81.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.31 STN 48.69

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-40.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.37 STN 177

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-42.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 STN 33.23

$1.58 COP 4,948

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 STN 36.74

$2.83 COP 8,836

-38.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 STN 30.72

$1.17 COP 3,650

24.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 STN 35.68

$1.28 COP 4,014

32.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 STN 55.9

$2.09 COP 6,537

26.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.38 STN 303

$8.62 COP 26.9K

66.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 STN 38.33

$1.30 COP 4,056

40.00%

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

$26.0K STN 548.7K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

-5.97%

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

$32.6K STN 687.0K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-8.30%

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

$238 STN 5,014

$176 COP 550.1K

34.96%

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

$32.55 STN 687

$13.37 COP 41.8K

143.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.8 STN 1,472

$29.89 COP 93.4K

133.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.06 STN 740

$44.76 COP 139.8K

-21.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.12 STN 551

$17.06 COP 53.3K

53.11%

Cinema Ticket

$20.63 STN 435

$6.20 COP 19.4K

232.74%

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

$240 STN 5,055

$793 COP 2.5M

-69.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,261 STN 47.7K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

-74.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.9 STN 1,623

$58.5 COP 182.7K

31.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.38 STN 409

$103 COP 322.2K

-81.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$294 STN 6,196

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-72.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$199 STN 4,191

$680 COP 2.1M

-70.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$953 STN 20.1K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-52.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 STN 9,569

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-61.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,886 STN 39.8K

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-54.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,166 STN 24.6K

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-31.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$274 STN 5,772

$665 COP 2.1M

-58.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.38

10.94

-32.54%

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

Last update for Sao Tome: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $294 in Sao Tome versus $1,060 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 143% 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 $46.00 in Sao Tome versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $425 in Sao Tome vs $303 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

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

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 39%, 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 $1,855 per month in Sao Tome and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sao Tome, 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 $46.00 in Sao Tome 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 40% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sao Tome, where all-in costs run around $1,237, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Sao Tome it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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