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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,306 per month in Sarande vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,185 per month in Sarande vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Sarande vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Sarande costs about 30% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sarande and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Sarande 2% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ALL 965

$5.91 COP 18.6K

101.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.4 ALL 4,743

$32.96 COP 103.8K

77.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.46 ALL 769

$7.43 COP 23.4K

27.32%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ALL 165

$1.65 COP 5,207

23.03%

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

$1.91 ALL 155

$1.10 COP 3,468

73.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ALL 75.2

$0.78 COP 2,458

19.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 ALL 237

$1.72 COP 5,412

69.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ALL 293

$3.18 COP 10.0K

13.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ALL 167

$1.10 COP 3,474

87.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 ALL 88.1

$1.26 COP 3,962

-14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ALL 178

$1.38 COP 4,349

58.70%

Eggs

$3.83 ALL 311

$2.18 COP 6,858

75.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 ALL 1,061

$4.49 COP 14.1K

190.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.80 ALL 634

$5.79 COP 18.2K

34.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 ALL 1,262

$8.97 COP 28.2K

73.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 ALL 144

$2.32 COP 7,308

-23.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 ALL 222

$1.06 COP 3,352

157.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 ALL 162

$1.52 COP 4,774

30.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 ALL 162

$1.36 COP 4,270

47.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ALL 108

$1.13 COP 3,552

16.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 ALL 103

$1.17 COP 3,689

8.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 ALL 124

$0.90 COP 2,838

68.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ALL 63.6

$0.90 COP 2,823

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 ALL 349

$2.23 COP 7,034

92.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 ALL 529

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-46.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ALL 129

$1.19 COP 3,743

32.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ALL 173

$2.48 COP 7,815

-14.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 ALL 92.0

$0.85 COP 2,687

32.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.21 ALL 1,885

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-44.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 ALL 295

$1.42 COP 4,459

155.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.17 ALL 257

$1.95 COP 6,141

62.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.38 ALL 1,412

$7.89 COP 24.8K

120.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 ALL 167

$0.99 COP 3,118

107.07%

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

$34.3K ALL 2.8M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

94.87%

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

$29.4K ALL 2.4M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

9.53%

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

$101 ALL 8,166

$83.0 COP 261.4K

21.08%

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

$17.75 ALL 1,442

$9.70 COP 30.5K

82.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 ALL 1,526

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-20.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.2 ALL 7,249

$25.26 COP 79.5K

253.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.95 ALL 3,408

$19.10 COP 60.1K

119.63%

Cinema Ticket

$9.56 ALL 777

$3.95 COP 12.4K

142.03%

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

$294 ALL 23.9K

$316 COP 994.2K

-6.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,526 ALL 449.0K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-7.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 ALL 5,571

$60.0 COP 188.9K

14.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 ALL 4,130

$31.82 COP 100.2K

59.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 ALL 8,795

$102 COP 320.1K

6.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 ALL 10.5K

$107 COP 338.3K

19.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$871 ALL 70.8K

$475 COP 1.5M

83.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 ALL 31.3K

$374 COP 1.2M

3.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,116 ALL 90.7K

$849 COP 2.7M

31.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$931 ALL 75.6K

$719 COP 2.3M

29.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,516 ALL 366.9K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

38.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,843 ALL 231.0K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

97.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$769 ALL 62.5K

$624 COP 2.0M

23.16%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $871 in Sarande versus $475 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 23% 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 $193 – 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 30%, 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 $1,959 per month in Sarande and $1,504 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 $1,306 in Sarande and $1,003 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 $1,003, than in Sarande at $1,306. 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.