Cost of Living Comparison Between Sin el Fil and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Sin el Fil and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,112 per month in Sin el Fil vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,730 per month in Sin el Fil vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,348 per month in Sin el Fil vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Sin el Fil costs about 9% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sin el Fil and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Sin el Fil 17% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sin el Fil
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.65 LBP 953.5K
$5.95 COP 20.8K
78.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.34 LBP 4.4M
$33.33 COP 116.3K
48.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.91 LBP 707.5K
$7.23 COP 25.2K
9.41%
Cappuccino
$2.96 LBP 265.1K
$1.63 COP 5,687
81.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 LBP 145.8K
$1.09 COP 3,821
49.54%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 LBP 83.4K
$0.73 COP 2,548
27.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.51 LBP 314.5K
$1.74 COP 6,065
101.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.10 LBP 456.5K
$3.23 COP 11.3K
57.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sin el Fil
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 LBP 155.1K
$1.05 COP 3,662
64.76%
White Bread (500g)
$0.85 LBP 75.8K
$1.29 COP 4,515
-34.11%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.81 LBP 162.4K
$1.32 COP 4,617
37.12%
Eggs
$3.11 LBP 278.5K
$2.27 COP 7,927
37.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.18 LBP 732.0K
$4.35 COP 15.2K
88.05%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.61 LBP 859.9K
$5.88 COP 20.5K
63.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.64 LBP 1.0M
$8.61 COP 30.0K
35.19%
Apples (1kg)
$1.75 LBP 157.1K
$2.25 COP 7,844
-22.22%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 LBP 130.0K
$1.07 COP 3,733
35.51%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.13 LBP 101.2K
$1.52 COP 5,322
-25.66%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.09 LBP 97.6K
$1.42 COP 4,964
-23.24%
Potato (1kg)
$1.01 LBP 90.8K
$1.17 COP 4,084
-13.68%
Onion (1kg)
$1.03 LBP 92.6K
$1.17 COP 4,077
-11.97%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 LBP 79.3K
$0.89 COP 3,096
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 LBP 46.0K
$0.90 COP 3,146
-43.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.53 LBP 226.7K
$2.25 COP 7,837
12.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.09 LBP 902.9K
$11.04 COP 38.5K
-8.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 LBP 109.8K
$1.14 COP 3,977
7.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20 LBP 196.5K
$2.38 COP 8,301
-7.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Sin el Fil
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.84 COP 2,916
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$41.95 COP 146.4K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.95 LBP 443.0K
$1.41 COP 4,912
251.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.23 LBP 109.8K
$1.90 COP 6,634
-35.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.16 LBP 1.8M
$7.75 COP 27.0K
160.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.91 LBP 81.1K
$1.01 COP 3,509
-9.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.6K LBP 3.2B
$17.6K COP 61.4M
102.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.0K LBP 2.5B
$26.5K COP 92.5M
5.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sin el Fil
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$211 LBP 18.9M
$83.7 COP 292.1K
152.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.87 LBP 3.4M
$9.45 COP 33.0K
300.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.48 LBP 3.3M
$24.11 COP 84.1K
51.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sin el Fil
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.84 LBP 2.7M
$25.31 COP 88.3K
17.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.86 LBP 882.9K
$19.14 COP 66.8K
-48.48%
Cinema Ticket
$8.09 LBP 724.0K
$4.10 COP 14.3K
97.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sin el Fil
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$299 LBP 26.8M
$312 COP 1.1M
-4.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,428 LBP 396.3M
$5,993 COP 20.9M
-26.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sin el Fil
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.2 LBP 6.4M
$58.0 COP 202.6K
22.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.15 LBP 4.0M
$32.56 COP 113.6K
38.67%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.1 LBP 8.8M
$99.6 COP 347.7K
-1.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.3 LBP 6.4M
$109 COP 378.8K
-34.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sin el Fil
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$300 LBP 26.9M
$482 COP 1.7M
-37.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$247 LBP 22.1M
$379 COP 1.3M
-34.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$986 LBP 88.3M
$837 COP 2.9M
17.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$499 LBP 44.7M
$723 COP 2.5M
-30.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,840 COP 9.9M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,223 COP 4.3M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sin el Fil
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$541 COP 1.9M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.16
13.43
-16.90%

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

Last update for Sin el Fil: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $300 in Sin el Fil 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Sin el Fil versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 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
Sin el Fil vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Sin el Fil?
Yes – Sin el Fil is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,668 per month in Sin el Fil and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Sin el Fil or Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Sin el Fil and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Sin el Fil and Medellin?
Groceries cost about 19% more in Sin el Fil, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Sin el Fil or Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Sin el Fil at $1,112. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sin el Fil it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Sin el Fil or Medellin more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sin el Fil makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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