Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Tome and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Sao Tome: $1,219 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Sao Tome
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Sao Tome Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Sao Tome

🇸🇹 Sao Tome and Principe

$1,219

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,625

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sao Tome and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sao Tome and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,219 per month in Sao Tome vs $1,625 in Medellin, rent included.

Sao Tome $1,219
Medellin $1,625

A couple spends around $1,924 per month in Sao Tome vs $2,412 in Medellin, rent included.

Sao Tome $1,924
Medellin $2,412

A family of three spends $2,629 per month in Sao Tome vs $3,199 in Medellin, rent included.

Sao Tome $2,629
Medellin $3,199

Sao Tome is about 25% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Sao Tome sits 10% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.18 STN 200

$8.30 COP 26.3K

10.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.02 STN 981

$46.91 COP 148.7K

-4.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 STN 174

$9.24 COP 29.3K

-13.53%

Cappuccino

$2.33 STN 50.8

$3.05 COP 9,676

-23.61%

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

$1.81 STN 39.49

$1.80 COP 5,707

0.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 STN 27.64

$1.38 COP 4,382

-7.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.66 STN 36.20

$3.24 COP 10.3K

-48.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 STN 40.98

$5.56 COP 17.6K

-66.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 STN 33.18

$1.50 COP 4,760

1.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 STN 22.12

$2.37 COP 7,508

-57.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 STN 46.40

$1.70 COP 5,377

25.29%

Eggs

$4.96 STN 108

$2.96 COP 9,379

67.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.41 STN 423

$10.22 COP 32.4K

89.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.50 STN 425

$9.74 COP 30.9K

100.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.70 STN 538

$13.90 COP 44.1K

77.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.82 STN 83.3

$4.13 COP 13.1K

-7.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 STN 38.75

$1.53 COP 4,839

16.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.59 STN 78.2

$2.22 COP 7,052

61.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 STN 75.9

$2.27 COP 7,194

53.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 STN 61.6

$1.99 COP 6,311

42.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 STN 50.4

$1.67 COP 5,285

38.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 STN 11.76

$1.18 COP 3,742

-54.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 STN 45.01

$1.24 COP 3,919

66.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 STN 50.8

$3.87 COP 12.3K

-39.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 STN 174

$13.78 COP 43.7K

-42.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 STN 34.09

$1.66 COP 5,256

-6.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 STN 36.01

$2.40 COP 7,615

-31.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.34 STN 29.17

$1.24 COP 3,944

8.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.2 COP 248.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 STN 36.13

$1.28 COP 4,044

29.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.55 STN 55.6

$2.15 COP 6,803

18.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.93 STN 304

$8.37 COP 26.5K

66.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 STN 36.95

$1.35 COP 4,288

25.19%

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

$24.3K STN 529.0K

$34.8K COP 110.2M

-30.19%

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

$31.6K STN 689.7K

$34.7K COP 110.0M

-8.78%

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

$233 STN 5,083

$167 COP 528.4K

39.92%

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

$30.60 STN 667

$13.62 COP 43.2K

124.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.9 STN 1,436

$29.12 COP 92.3K

126.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.92 STN 739

$45.09 COP 143.0K

-24.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 STN 552

$17.18 COP 54.5K

47.38%

Cinema Ticket

$19.86 STN 433

$6.97 COP 22.1K

184.94%

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

$226 STN 4,925

$790 COP 2.5M

-71.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,179 STN 47.5K

$9,041 COP 28.7M

-75.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.8 COP 278.4K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.1 STN 1,638

$58.2 COP 184.4K

29.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 440.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$18.53 STN 404

$98.9 COP 313.5K

-81.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 STN 6,161

$1,028 COP 3.3M

-72.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 STN 4,184

$620 COP 2.0M

-69.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$929 STN 20.3K

$1,881 COP 6.0M

-50.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$452 STN 9,846

$1,008 COP 3.2M

-55.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,850 STN 40.3K

$3,988 COP 12.6M

-53.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,160 STN 25.3K

$1,702 COP 5.4M

-31.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$257 STN 5,595

$663 COP 2.1M

-61.31%

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: October 18, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Sao Tome

$412 33.8%

Medellin

$298 18.3% 27.7% $114

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sao Tome

$330 27%

Medellin

$209 12.9% 36.5% $120

Accommodation & Living

Sao Tome

$192 15.7%

Medellin

$619 38.1% 223% $428

Eating Out

Sao Tome

$150 12.3%

Medellin

$171 10.5% 14% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Sao Tome

$74 6%

Medellin

$59 3.6% 19.8% $15

Clothing & Footwear

Sao Tome

$42 * 3.5%

Medellin

$173 10.6% 310% $131

Getting Around

Sao Tome

$20 * 1.6%

Medellin

$95 5.9% 382% $75

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $283 in Sao Tome versus $1,028 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 158% 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 $45.00 in Sao Tome versus $47.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $412 in Sao Tome vs $298 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇸🇹 Sao Tome

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

09:45 9:45 AM

04:45 4:45 AM

5 h behind Sao Tome

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

53,300 Capital

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Sao Tome and Principe Dobra STN Db

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

100 STN = 4.59 USD

100 STN = 4.08 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to STN – Sao Tome and Principe Dobra Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇹 Sao Tome and Principe Dobra (Db)

Sao Tome and Principe Dobra exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 21.8 STN (100 STN = 4.59 USD). 1 EUR = 24.51 STN (100 STN = 4.08 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

USD to STN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Sao Tome Medellin 9,160 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Sao Tome
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 33%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,829 per month in Sao Tome and $2,437 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 $45.00 in Sao Tome and $47.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 38% 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 $1,219, than in Medellin at $1,625. 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.