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 $1,087 per month in Sao Tome vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,830 per month in Sao Tome vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,573 per month in Sao Tome vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Sao Tome costs about 7% 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 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.64 STN 433

$5.99 COP 21.4K

244.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.23 STN 971

$32.86 COP 117.4K

40.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 STN 208

$7.09 COP 25.3K

39.77%

Cappuccino

$1.73 STN 36.29

$1.71 COP 6,115

1.17%

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

$1.86 STN 39.04

$1.10 COP 3,924

69.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 STN 24.73

$0.78 COP 2,781

51.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 STN 33.98

$1.68 COP 5,997

-3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 STN 40.35

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-37.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 STN 28.98

$1.09 COP 3,906

26.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 STN 20.97

$1.26 COP 4,508

-20.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 STN 48.76

$1.38 COP 4,922

68.12%

Eggs

$4.96 STN 104

$2.19 COP 7,827

126.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.53 STN 431

$4.40 COP 15.7K

366.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.97 STN 419

$5.63 COP 20.1K

254.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.64 STN 517

$8.89 COP 31.8K

177.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 STN 99.3

$2.34 COP 8,349

102.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 STN 23.63

$1.06 COP 3,777

6.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 STN 83.9

$1.50 COP 5,374

166.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.57 STN 75.0

$1.38 COP 4,924

158.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 STN 55.5

$1.15 COP 4,111

129.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 STN 43.63

$1.16 COP 4,155

79.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 STN 14.89

$0.89 COP 3,182

-20.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 STN 39.52

$0.84 COP 2,997

123.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 STN 48.83

$2.28 COP 8,145

2.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.09 STN 170

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-23.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 STN 28.04

$1.20 COP 4,284

11.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 STN 28.06

$2.47 COP 8,824

-45.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 STN 25.60

$0.86 COP 3,056

41.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.88 STN 291

$7.74 COP 27.6K

79.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 STN 34.32

$0.95 COP 3,409

71.58%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$23.1K STN 484.8K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-12.83%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

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

$34.07 STN 716

$9.50 COP 33.9K

258.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 STN 1,501

$24.23 COP 86.5K

194.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.22 STN 782

$25.89 COP 92.4K

43.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.30 STN 615

$19.00 COP 67.9K

54.21%

Cinema Ticket

$20.93 STN 440

$3.93 COP 14.0K

432.57%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$18.64 STN 392

$108 COP 387.2K

-82.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$342 STN 7,191

$476 COP 1.7M

-28.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 STN 4,796

$379 COP 1.4M

-39.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 STN 14.0K

$838 COP 3.0M

-20.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$527 STN 11.1K

$724 COP 2.6M

-27.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,875 STN 39.4K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-32.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,168 STN 24.5K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-3.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$272 STN 5,709

$512 COP 1.8M

-46.88%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $342 in Sao Tome 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 88% 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: $415 vs $188 – 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 7%, 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 $1,630 per month in Sao Tome 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 Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 120% 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 $1,013, than in Sao Tome at $1,087. 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.