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 $1,154 per month in Sin el Fil vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,766 per month in Sin el Fil vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,379 per month in Sin el Fil vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Sin el Fil costs about 12% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sin el Fil and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Sin el Fil 14% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.76 LBP 962.7K

$5.92 COP 21.4K

81.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 LBP 4.5M

$32.75 COP 118.2K

53.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 LBP 703.6K

$7.20 COP 26.0K

9.17%

Cappuccino

$3.02 LBP 270.4K

$1.70 COP 6,140

77.65%

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

$1.58 LBP 141.6K

$1.10 COP 3,966

43.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 LBP 78.8K

$0.72 COP 2,605

22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 LBP 318.5K

$1.67 COP 6,022

113.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 LBP 439.8K

$3.10 COP 11.2K

58.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 LBP 155.7K

$1.06 COP 3,809

64.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 LBP 71.8K

$1.25 COP 4,497

-36.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 LBP 162.5K

$1.39 COP 5,022

30.94%

Eggs

$3.22 LBP 287.9K

$2.26 COP 8,168

42.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 LBP 737.2K

$4.33 COP 15.6K

90.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.77 LBP 874.3K

$5.84 COP 21.1K

67.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.34 LBP 1.0M

$8.83 COP 31.9K

28.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.73 LBP 155.1K

$2.24 COP 8,099

-22.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 LBP 132.0K

$1.08 COP 3,882

37.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 LBP 97.9K

$1.53 COP 5,522

-28.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 LBP 97.3K

$1.37 COP 4,950

-20.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 LBP 85.4K

$1.13 COP 4,078

-15.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 LBP 89.0K

$1.12 COP 4,036

-11.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 LBP 72.7K

$0.85 COP 3,057

-4.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LBP 50.0K

$0.91 COP 3,281

-38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.55 LBP 228.5K

$2.33 COP 8,414

9.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.90 LBP 886.5K

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-11.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 LBP 109.9K

$1.19 COP 4,309

3.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 LBP 200.3K

$2.37 COP 8,553

-5.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.90 LBP 438.6K

$1.44 COP 5,184

240.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 LBP 109.1K

$1.91 COP 6,901

-36.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.86 LBP 1.8M

$8.02 COP 28.9K

147.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 LBP 79.7K

$0.94 COP 3,385

-5.32%

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

$34.9K LBP 3.1B

$17.9K COP 64.7M

94.81%

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

$27.9K LBP 2.5B

$26.8K COP 96.7M

4.16%

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

$218 LBP 19.5M

$84.0 COP 303.1K

159.19%

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

$38.32 LBP 3.4M

$9.60 COP 34.7K

299.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.54 LBP 3.3M

$24.16 COP 87.2K

51.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.79 LBP 2.7M

$25.88 COP 93.4K

15.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.16 LBP 909.1K

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-46.64%

Cinema Ticket

$7.77 LBP 695.2K

$3.92 COP 14.1K

98.21%

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

$298 LBP 26.7M

$306 COP 1.1M

-2.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,358 LBP 390.0M

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-26.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 LBP 6.3M

$57.9 COP 209.1K

20.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.40 LBP 4.1M

$31.82 COP 114.9K

42.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 LBP 8.9M

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-0.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.8 LBP 6.2M

$107 COP 386.8K

-35.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$302 LBP 27.0M

$487 COP 1.8M

-37.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 LBP 22.6M

$368 COP 1.3M

-31.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,019 LBP 91.2M

$826 COP 3.0M

23.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 LBP 45.5M

$716 COP 2.6M

-28.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$246 LBP 22.0M

$546 COP 2.0M

-54.98%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $302 in Sin el Fil 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 122% higher in Medellin, 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 $50.0 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

Yes – Sin el Fil is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,731 per month in Sin el Fil 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 $50.0 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.

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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Sin el Fil at $1,154. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sin el Fil 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, Sin el Fil makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.