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 $1,081 per month in Sao Tome vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,841 per month in Sao Tome vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,601 per month in Sao Tome vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Sao Tome costs about 5% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sao Tome and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Sao Tome 19% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.99 STN 430

$6.16 COP 20.1K

224.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.96 STN 988

$32.60 COP 106.1K

40.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.95 STN 214

$7.34 COP 23.9K

35.56%

Cappuccino

$1.72 STN 37.06

$1.72 COP 5,599

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

$1.94 STN 41.77

$1.05 COP 3,420

84.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 STN 24.72

$0.77 COP 2,515

49.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 STN 35.15

$1.69 COP 5,487

-3.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 STN 40.46

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-40.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 STN 28.61

$1.05 COP 3,423

26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 STN 22.43

$1.30 COP 4,236

-20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 STN 48.61

$1.40 COP 4,544

61.43%

Eggs

$4.94 STN 106

$2.16 COP 7,046

128.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.05 STN 431

$4.39 COP 14.3K

356.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.87 STN 427

$5.88 COP 19.1K

237.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.69 STN 531

$8.64 COP 28.1K

185.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.50 STN 96.7

$2.28 COP 7,425

97.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 STN 25.43

$1.11 COP 3,603

6.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.98 STN 85.5

$1.53 COP 4,982

160.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.52 STN 75.6

$1.35 COP 4,410

160.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 STN 55.6

$1.13 COP 3,674

128.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 STN 42.83

$1.13 COP 3,692

76.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 STN 14.27

$0.85 COP 2,753

-22.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 STN 40.82

$0.91 COP 2,975

108.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 STN 49.94

$2.34 COP 7,629

-0.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 STN 171

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-35.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 STN 27.27

$1.20 COP 3,909

5.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 STN 28.81

$2.49 COP 8,104

-46.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 STN 27.11

$0.84 COP 2,727

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.14 STN 304

$7.66 COP 24.9K

84.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 STN 35.39

$0.99 COP 3,223

66.67%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$22.8K STN 490.0K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-14.40%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

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

$34.83 STN 749

$9.95 COP 32.4K

250.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.6 STN 1,560

$24.18 COP 78.7K

200.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.62 STN 787

$25.08 COP 81.6K

46.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.39 STN 632

$19.15 COP 62.3K

53.47%

Cinema Ticket

$21.14 STN 455

$3.98 COP 13.0K

431.16%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.10 STN 411

$108 COP 350.8K

-82.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 STN 7,595

$477 COP 1.6M

-25.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 STN 5,044

$376 COP 1.2M

-37.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$664 STN 14.3K

$845 COP 2.7M

-21.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 STN 11.1K

$730 COP 2.4M

-29.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,840 STN 39.6K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-42.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,149 STN 24.7K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-16.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$265 STN 5,702

$617 COP 2.0M

-57.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.38

13.43

-45.05%

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

Last update for Sao Tome: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $353 in Sao Tome versus $477 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 133% 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 $46.00 in Sao Tome versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $411 vs $193 – 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

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

Yes – Sao Tome is pricier by about 5%, 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 $1,622 per month in Sao Tome and $1,546 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.

Groceries cost about 113% more in Sao Tome, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Sao Tome and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Sao Tome at $1,081. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sao Tome 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, Sao Tome makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.