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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,569 per month in Singapore vs $1,014 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,229 per month in Singapore vs $1,596 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,889 per month in Singapore vs $2,178 in Medellin, rent included.

Singapore costs about 252% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Singapore sits 165% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.72 SGD 13.62

$6.14 COP 22.2K

74.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 SGD 99.7

$33.05 COP 119.3K

137.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.73 SGD 9.82

$7.32 COP 26.4K

5.60%

Cappuccino

$5.06 SGD 6.43

$1.66 COP 5,987

204.82%

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

$1.71 SGD 2.17

$1.10 COP 3,987

55.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 SGD 1.56

$0.78 COP 2,822

57.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.89 SGD 10.02

$1.71 COP 6,188

361.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.27 SGD 11.78

$3.17 COP 11.5K

192.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.08 SGD 3.91

$1.11 COP 4,012

177.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 SGD 2.93

$1.31 COP 4,719

76.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.82 SGD 3.58

$1.38 COP 4,980

104.35%

Eggs

$3.30 SGD 4.19

$2.22 COP 8,009

48.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.14 SGD 24.31

$4.34 COP 15.7K

341.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.27 SGD 14.31

$5.80 COP 20.9K

94.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.31 SGD 28.33

$8.98 COP 32.4K

148.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 SGD 5.76

$2.26 COP 8,164

100.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.88 SGD 3.66

$1.11 COP 4,023

159.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.84 SGD 6.15

$1.46 COP 5,284

231.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.74 SGD 3.49

$1.37 COP 4,929

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 SGD 3.08

$1.11 COP 4,009

118.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 SGD 2.84

$1.16 COP 4,199

92.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 SGD 2.61

$0.89 COP 3,211

131.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 SGD 1.99

$0.87 COP 3,124

80.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.11 SGD 16.65

$2.35 COP 8,495

457.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.36 SGD 32.21

$10.86 COP 39.2K

133.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 SGD 5.36

$1.20 COP 4,330

251.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 SGD 6.40

$2.48 COP 8,946

103.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 SGD 2.04

$0.79 COP 2,842

102.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.4 SGD 119

$40.77 COP 147.2K

129.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.66 SGD 4.65

$1.42 COP 5,137

157.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 SGD 0.96

$1.91 COP 6,900

-60.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.14 SGD 20.49

$7.65 COP 27.6K

110.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 SGD 2.76

$0.97 COP 3,490

124.74%

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

$140.6K SGD 178.6K

$18.1K COP 65.3M

677.14%

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

$129.5K SGD 164.5K

$26.3K COP 95.0M

392.28%

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

$159 SGD 202

$81.3 COP 293.5K

95.28%

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

$18.22 SGD 23.13

$9.63 COP 34.8K

89.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.77 SGD 47.97

$24.36 COP 88.0K

55.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$120 SGD 153

$26.02 COP 93.9K

361.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.06 SGD 15.32

$18.92 COP 68.3K

-36.26%

Cinema Ticket

$11.78 SGD 14.96

$3.89 COP 14.0K

202.83%

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

$1,206 SGD 1,531

$304 COP 1.1M

296.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K SGD 37.5K

$5,902 COP 21.3M

400.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.4 SGD 103

$58.7 COP 211.8K

38.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.54 SGD 55.3

$32.48 COP 117.2K

34.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SGD 134

$102 COP 367.3K

3.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 SGD 167

$108 COP 390.4K

21.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,189 SGD 4,050

$474 COP 1.7M

572.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,288 SGD 2,906

$371 COP 1.3M

517.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,085 SGD 7,728

$848 COP 3.1M

617.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,740 SGD 4,750

$716 COP 2.6M

422.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.4K SGD 29.7K

$2,871 COP 10.4M

714.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.5K SGD 21.0K

$1,375 COP 5.0M

1099.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,293 SGD 5,452

$542 COP 2.0M

692.68%

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,189 in Singapore versus $474 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 693% 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 in Singapore versus $33 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $453 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

Singapore vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Singapore is pricier by about 252%, 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 $5,353 per month in Singapore and $1,522 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 $3,569 in Singapore and $1,014 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 $1,014, than in Singapore at $3,569. 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.