Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,651 per month in Singapore vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,223 per month in Singapore vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,796 per month in Singapore vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Singapore costs about 260% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Singapore sits 172% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.73 SGD 13.78

$5.99 COP 21.3K

79.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 SGD 101

$32.86 COP 116.9K

138.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.88 SGD 10.13

$7.09 COP 25.2K

11.14%

Cappuccino

$4.92 SGD 6.32

$1.71 COP 6,093

187.72%

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

$1.63 SGD 2.10

$1.10 COP 3,910

48.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 SGD 1.58

$0.78 COP 2,771

57.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 SGD 10.08

$1.68 COP 5,976

367.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.61 SGD 12.34

$3.07 COP 10.9K

213.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.07 SGD 3.95

$1.09 COP 3,892

181.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 SGD 3.10

$1.26 COP 4,492

91.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 SGD 3.61

$1.38 COP 4,905

103.62%

Eggs

$3.37 SGD 4.34

$2.19 COP 7,799

53.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 SGD 24.85

$4.40 COP 15.7K

339.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.36 SGD 14.59

$5.63 COP 20.0K

101.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.95 SGD 29.49

$8.89 COP 31.6K

158.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 SGD 5.81

$2.34 COP 8,319

93.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 SGD 3.78

$1.06 COP 3,764

177.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.86 SGD 6.25

$1.50 COP 5,355

224.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 SGD 3.38

$1.38 COP 4,906

90.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 SGD 3.18

$1.15 COP 4,097

114.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 SGD 2.78

$1.16 COP 4,141

86.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 SGD 2.58

$0.89 COP 3,170

125.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 SGD 1.94

$0.84 COP 2,986

79.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.24 SGD 17.01

$2.28 COP 8,116

480.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.27 SGD 32.47

$10.64 COP 37.9K

137.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.31 SGD 5.54

$1.20 COP 4,268

259.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.20 SGD 6.68

$2.47 COP 8,793

110.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 SGD 2.03

$0.86 COP 3,045

83.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.7 SGD 120

$41.40 COP 147.3K

126.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 SGD 4.50

$1.47 COP 5,245

138.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 SGD 1.00

$1.96 COP 6,984

-60.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.11 SGD 20.70

$7.74 COP 27.5K

108.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 SGD 2.82

$0.95 COP 3,397

131.58%

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

$142.1K SGD 182.6K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

684.02%

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

$129.1K SGD 165.9K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

387.47%

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

$160 SGD 205

$82.3 COP 292.7K

94.43%

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

$18.36 SGD 23.58

$9.50 COP 33.8K

93.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.57 SGD 46.98

$24.23 COP 86.2K

50.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$117 SGD 150

$25.89 COP 92.1K

351.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.39 SGD 15.92

$19.00 COP 67.6K

-34.79%

Cinema Ticket

$11.65 SGD 14.97

$3.93 COP 14.0K

196.44%

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

$1,184 SGD 1,521

$309 COP 1.1M

282.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.9K SGD 38.4K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

400.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.2 SGD 106

$58.7 COP 208.7K

40.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.04 SGD 55.3

$32.35 COP 115.1K

33.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SGD 138

$103 COP 365.1K

4.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 SGD 168

$108 COP 385.8K

20.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,101 SGD 3,984

$476 COP 1.7M

551.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,280 SGD 2,929

$379 COP 1.3M

501.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,201 SGD 7,967

$838 COP 3.0M

639.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,793 SGD 4,873

$724 COP 2.6M

424.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.5K SGD 30.2K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

741.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.5K SGD 21.2K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

1263.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,285 SGD 5,505

$512 COP 1.8M

737.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.19

13.43

-76.25%

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

Last update for Singapore: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,101 in Singapore versus $476 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 737% higher in Singapore, 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 $78.0 in Singapore versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $457 vs $188 – 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

Singapore vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Singapore is pricier by about 260%, 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 $5,477 per month in Singapore and $1,519 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 $78.0 in Singapore 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 $3,651 in Singapore and $1,013 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 $1,013, than in Singapore at $3,651. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Singapore 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Singapore makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.