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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,349 per month in Sarande vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,263 per month in Sarande vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,177 per month in Sarande vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Sarande is about 20% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Sarande sits 1% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.27 ALL 814

$8.02 COP 25.3K

28.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.9 ALL 4,430

$47.87 COP 151.0K

16.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.16 ALL 885

$9.89 COP 31.2K

12.84%

Cappuccino

$2.31 ALL 184

$3.13 COP 9,873

-26.20%

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

$2.46 ALL 195

$1.91 COP 6,019

28.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 ALL 91.3

$1.51 COP 4,763

-23.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 ALL 294

$3.12 COP 9,853

18.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 ALL 330

$5.75 COP 18.1K

-27.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 ALL 184

$1.44 COP 4,558

61.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 ALL 101

$2.49 COP 7,843

-49.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 ALL 190

$1.77 COP 5,595

35.03%

Eggs

$3.89 ALL 308

$2.96 COP 9,336

31.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.55 ALL 1,074

$10.07 COP 31.8K

34.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 ALL 750

$10.12 COP 31.9K

-6.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.48 ALL 1,386

$14.30 COP 45.1K

22.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 ALL 161

$4.14 COP 13.0K

-50.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 ALL 204

$1.61 COP 5,073

60.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 ALL 171

$2.25 COP 7,083

-4.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 ALL 155

$2.25 COP 7,104

-13.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 ALL 82.4

$2.04 COP 6,444

-49.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ALL 102

$1.54 COP 4,842

-16.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 ALL 114

$1.17 COP 3,691

23.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ALL 64.9

$1.31 COP 4,121

-37.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.06 ALL 401

$3.90 COP 12.3K

29.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ALL 581

$14.01 COP 44.2K

-47.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ALL 138

$1.74 COP 5,498

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ALL 170

$2.87 COP 9,053

-25.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 ALL 91.0

$1.22 COP 3,834

-5.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.68 ALL 1,798

$80.5 COP 253.9K

-71.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.80 ALL 301

$1.31 COP 4,129

190.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 ALL 294

$2.19 COP 6,899

68.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.95 ALL 1,503

$8.71 COP 27.5K

117.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 ALL 178

$1.37 COP 4,306

63.50%

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

$34.5K ALL 2.7M

$27.8K COP 87.8M

24.00%

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

$28.5K ALL 2.3M

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-20.37%

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

$102 ALL 8,100

$177 COP 559.3K

-42.39%

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

$19.14 ALL 1,518

$13.88 COP 43.8K

37.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.16 ALL 1,678

$29.72 COP 93.8K

-28.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.1 ALL 7,227

$44.88 COP 141.6K

103.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.85 ALL 3,318

$17.12 COP 54.0K

144.45%

Cinema Ticket

$9.96 ALL 790

$6.65 COP 21.0K

49.77%

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

$307 ALL 24.4K

$813 COP 2.6M

-62.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,180 ALL 648.6K

$9,187 COP 29.0M

-10.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.4 ALL 5,664

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-20.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.52 ALL 3,768

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-19.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 ALL 9,756

$138 COP 435.9K

-10.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ALL 9,266

$102 COP 322.1K

14.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$878 ALL 69.6K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-17.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 ALL 30.5K

$663 COP 2.1M

-41.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,142 ALL 90.5K

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-39.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$939 ALL 74.4K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-8.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,660 ALL 369.5K

$4,183 COP 13.2M

11.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,954 ALL 234.2K

$1,675 COP 5.3M

76.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$796 ALL 63.1K

$678 COP 2.1M

17.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.64

10.94

-48.45%

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

Last update for Sarande: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $878 in Sarande versus $1,062 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 17% higher in Sarande, 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 $56.0 in Sarande versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $294 in Sarande vs $305 in Medellin – so Sarande wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 – Medellin is pricier by about 25%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,023 per month in Sarande and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sarande, 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 $56.0 in Sarande and $48.00 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 $1,349 in Sarande and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sarande, where all-in costs run around $1,349, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Sarande it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sarande – 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 Sarande. 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.