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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,298 per month in Sarande vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,205 per month in Sarande vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,113 per month in Sarande vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Sarande costs about 26% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sarande and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Sarande 3% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.84 ALL 967

$5.92 COP 21.4K

100.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 ALL 4,740

$32.75 COP 118.2K

77.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 ALL 791

$7.20 COP 26.0K

34.58%

Cappuccino

$2.07 ALL 169

$1.70 COP 6,140

21.76%

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

$1.83 ALL 150

$1.10 COP 3,966

66.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 ALL 78.9

$0.72 COP 2,605

34.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 ALL 243

$1.67 COP 6,022

78.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 ALL 283

$3.10 COP 11.2K

11.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 ALL 167

$1.06 COP 3,809

92.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 ALL 92.5

$1.25 COP 4,497

-9.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ALL 177

$1.39 COP 5,022

56.12%

Eggs

$3.98 ALL 325

$2.26 COP 8,168

76.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 ALL 1,051

$4.33 COP 15.6K

197.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.82 ALL 638

$5.84 COP 21.1K

33.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 ALL 1,295

$8.83 COP 31.9K

79.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 ALL 140

$2.24 COP 8,099

-23.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 ALL 219

$1.08 COP 3,882

149.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ALL 162

$1.53 COP 5,522

29.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 ALL 162

$1.37 COP 4,950

44.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 ALL 107

$1.13 COP 4,078

15.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 ALL 105

$1.12 COP 4,036

15.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 ALL 122

$0.85 COP 3,057

76.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ALL 61.4

$0.91 COP 3,281

-17.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 ALL 351

$2.33 COP 8,414

84.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.58 ALL 537

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-40.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 ALL 131

$1.19 COP 4,309

34.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ALL 173

$2.37 COP 8,553

-10.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 ALL 92.1

$0.79 COP 2,838

43.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.33 ALL 1,905

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-43.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 ALL 287

$1.44 COP 5,184

143.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 ALL 263

$1.91 COP 6,901

68.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.75 ALL 1,449

$8.02 COP 28.9K

121.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 ALL 169

$0.94 COP 3,385

120.21%

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

$35.1K ALL 2.9M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

95.59%

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

$29.2K ALL 2.4M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

9.03%

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

$102 ALL 8,316

$84.0 COP 303.1K

21.31%

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

$18.05 ALL 1,474

$9.60 COP 34.7K

88.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.11 ALL 1,479

$24.16 COP 87.2K

-25.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.7 ALL 7,327

$25.88 COP 93.4K

246.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.29 ALL 3,371

$19.04 COP 68.7K

116.86%

Cinema Ticket

$9.58 ALL 782

$3.92 COP 14.1K

144.39%

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

$292 ALL 23.8K

$306 COP 1.1M

-4.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,563 ALL 454.2K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-6.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.7 ALL 5,525

$57.9 COP 209.1K

16.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.2 ALL 4,099

$31.82 COP 114.9K

57.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 ALL 8,925

$99.9 COP 360.6K

9.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 ALL 10.6K

$107 COP 386.8K

21.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 ALL 72.1K

$487 COP 1.8M

81.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 ALL 31.1K

$368 COP 1.3M

3.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 ALL 89.5K

$826 COP 3.0M

32.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 ALL 77.5K

$716 COP 2.6M

32.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,737 ALL 386.8K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

61.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,954 ALL 241.2K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

110.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$785 ALL 64.1K

$546 COP 2.0M

43.94%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $884 in Sarande versus $487 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 44% 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 $58.0 in Sarande versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 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 26%, 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 $1,946 per month in Sarande and $1,550 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 $58.0 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 $1,298 in Sarande and $1,034 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 $1,034, than in Sarande at $1,298. 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.