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 $1,120 per month in Sin el Fil vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,752 per month in Sin el Fil vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,383 per month in Sin el Fil vs $2,143 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 16% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sin el Fil
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.71 LBP 958.4K
$5.91 COP 18.9K
81.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.16 LBP 4.4M
$32.96 COP 105.2K
49.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.92 LBP 709.2K
$7.43 COP 23.7K
6.59%
Cappuccino
$2.91 LBP 260.7K
$1.65 COP 5,276
76.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 LBP 147.7K
$1.10 COP 3,514
50.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 LBP 83.2K
$0.78 COP 2,491
19.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.55 LBP 317.8K
$1.72 COP 5,484
106.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.10 LBP 456.4K
$3.18 COP 10.1K
60.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sin el Fil
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.77 LBP 158.6K
$1.10 COP 3,521
60.91%
White Bread (500g)
$0.79 LBP 70.3K
$1.26 COP 4,015
-37.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.84 LBP 165.0K
$1.38 COP 4,407
33.33%
Eggs
$3.09 LBP 276.7K
$2.18 COP 6,950
41.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.20 LBP 733.7K
$4.49 COP 14.3K
82.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.30 LBP 832.5K
$5.79 COP 18.5K
60.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.27 LBP 1.0M
$8.97 COP 28.6K
25.64%
Apples (1kg)
$1.81 LBP 161.6K
$2.32 COP 7,405
-21.98%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 LBP 137.4K
$1.06 COP 3,397
44.34%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.15 LBP 103.2K
$1.52 COP 4,838
-24.34%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.10 LBP 98.5K
$1.36 COP 4,327
-19.12%
Potato (1kg)
$0.98 LBP 87.8K
$1.13 COP 3,599
-13.27%
Onion (1kg)
$1.03 LBP 92.2K
$1.17 COP 3,738
-11.97%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.82 LBP 73.3K
$0.90 COP 2,876
-8.89%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 LBP 46.0K
$0.90 COP 2,861
-43.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.47 LBP 220.7K
$2.23 COP 7,128
10.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.98 LBP 893.1K
$12.12 COP 38.7K
-17.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 LBP 115.4K
$1.19 COP 3,793
8.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 LBP 191.2K
$2.48 COP 7,920
-13.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Sin el Fil
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.85 COP 2,723
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$41.62 COP 132.8K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.13 LBP 459.6K
$1.42 COP 4,518
261.27%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.24 LBP 110.7K
$1.95 COP 6,223
-36.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.81 LBP 1.8M
$7.89 COP 25.2K
151.08%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.94 LBP 84.4K
$0.99 COP 3,160
-5.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K LBP 3.1B
$17.6K COP 56.2M
97.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.4K LBP 2.5B
$26.8K COP 85.5M
5.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sin el Fil
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$215 LBP 19.3M
$83.0 COP 264.9K
159.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.45 LBP 3.4M
$9.70 COP 30.9K
286.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.83 LBP 3.4M
$23.52 COP 75.0K
60.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sin el Fil
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.07 LBP 2.7M
$25.26 COP 80.6K
19.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.91 LBP 887.0K
$19.10 COP 60.9K
-48.12%
Cinema Ticket
$7.90 LBP 707.1K
$3.95 COP 12.6K
100.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sin el Fil
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$302 LBP 27.0M
$316 COP 1.0M
-4.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,436 LBP 397.0M
$5,975 COP 19.1M
-25.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sin el Fil
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.3 LBP 6.3M
$60.0 COP 191.4K
17.10%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.21 LBP 4.0M
$31.82 COP 101.5K
42.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.4 LBP 8.9M
$102 COP 324.4K
-2.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.1 LBP 6.4M
$107 COP 342.8K
-33.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sin el Fil
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$297 LBP 26.6M
$475 COP 1.5M
-37.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$246 LBP 22.0M
$374 COP 1.2M
-34.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,005 LBP 89.9M
$849 COP 2.7M
18.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$503 LBP 45.0M
$719 COP 2.3M
-30.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,265 COP 10.4M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,441 COP 4.6M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sin el Fil
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$624 COP 2.0M
-
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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $297 in Sin el Fil 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Sin el Fil versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $224 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
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 12%, 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 $1,680 per month in Sin el Fil and $1,504 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 in 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 in Medellin?
Groceries cost about 16% 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 living in Sin el Fil or in Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Sin el Fil at $1,120. 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.

Sin el Fil vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities