Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarande and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarande and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,275 per month in Sarande vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,196 per month in Sarande vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,118 per month in Sarande vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Sarande costs about 25% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sarande and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Sarande 5% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.61 ALL 948

$5.95 COP 20.8K

95.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 ALL 4,895

$33.33 COP 116.3K

79.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.65 ALL 788

$7.23 COP 25.2K

33.47%

Cappuccino

$2.04 ALL 167

$1.63 COP 5,687

25.15%

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

$1.83 ALL 150

$1.09 COP 3,821

67.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 ALL 80.0

$0.73 COP 2,548

34.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 ALL 235

$1.74 COP 6,065

65.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ALL 297

$3.23 COP 11.3K

12.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ALL 169

$1.05 COP 3,662

97.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 ALL 93.0

$1.29 COP 4,515

-11.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ALL 175

$1.32 COP 4,617

62.88%

Eggs

$3.81 ALL 311

$2.27 COP 7,927

67.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 ALL 1,077

$4.35 COP 15.2K

202.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.96 ALL 651

$5.88 COP 20.5K

35.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 ALL 1,277

$8.61 COP 30.0K

81.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 ALL 145

$2.25 COP 7,844

-20.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 ALL 229

$1.07 COP 3,733

161.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 ALL 166

$1.52 COP 5,322

33.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 ALL 161

$1.42 COP 4,964

38.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 ALL 112

$1.17 COP 4,084

17.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 ALL 105

$1.17 COP 4,077

10.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 ALL 124

$0.89 COP 3,096

69.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ALL 59.9

$0.90 COP 3,146

-18.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ALL 352

$2.25 COP 7,837

91.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.67 ALL 545

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-39.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 ALL 135

$1.14 COP 3,977

44.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ALL 170

$2.38 COP 8,301

-12.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ALL 92.8

$0.84 COP 2,916

35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ALL 1,871

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-45.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 ALL 290

$1.41 COP 4,912

151.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.07 ALL 251

$1.90 COP 6,634

61.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.31 ALL 1,414

$7.75 COP 27.0K

123.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 ALL 174

$1.01 COP 3,509

110.89%

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

$35.0K ALL 2.9M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

98.83%

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

$28.7K ALL 2.3M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

8.25%

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

$102 ALL 8,332

$83.7 COP 292.1K

21.88%

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

$17.69 ALL 1,445

$9.45 COP 33.0K

87.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.28 ALL 1,494

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-24.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.5 ALL 7,309

$25.31 COP 88.3K

253.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.51 ALL 3,392

$19.14 COP 66.8K

116.88%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ALL 751

$4.10 COP 14.3K

124.15%

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

$287 ALL 23.5K

$312 COP 1.1M

-7.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,483 ALL 447.9K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-8.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 ALL 5,608

$58.0 COP 202.6K

18.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.44 ALL 4,039

$32.56 COP 113.6K

51.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 ALL 8,742

$99.6 COP 347.7K

7.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ALL 10.7K

$109 COP 378.8K

20.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$872 ALL 71.3K

$482 COP 1.7M

80.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 ALL 31.0K

$379 COP 1.3M

-0.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,098 ALL 89.7K

$837 COP 2.9M

31.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$959 ALL 78.3K

$723 COP 2.5M

32.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,643 ALL 379.4K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

63.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,946 ALL 240.7K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

140.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$768 ALL 62.8K

$541 COP 1.9M

42.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.52

13.43

-58.90%

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

Last update for Sarande: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $872 in Sarande versus $482 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 42% higher in Sarande, 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 $60.0 in Sarande versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $190 – 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

Sarande vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sarande is pricier by about 25%, 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 $1,912 per month in Sarande and $1,525 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Sarande 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 $1,275 in Sarande and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Sarande at $1,275. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sarande 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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sarande makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.