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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,507 per month in Singapore vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,136 per month in Singapore vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,764 per month in Singapore vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Singapore costs about 240% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Singapore sits 163% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.77 SGD 13.90

$6.16 COP 20.1K

74.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.1 SGD 101

$32.60 COP 106.1K

139.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 SGD 9.78

$7.34 COP 23.9K

3.27%

Cappuccino

$4.84 SGD 6.25

$1.72 COP 5,599

181.40%

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

$1.70 SGD 2.19

$1.05 COP 3,420

61.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 SGD 1.55

$0.77 COP 2,515

55.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 SGD 10.13

$1.69 COP 5,487

364.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.15 SGD 11.81

$3.17 COP 10.3K

188.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.07 SGD 3.96

$1.05 COP 3,423

192.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 SGD 3.07

$1.30 COP 4,236

83.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 SGD 3.60

$1.40 COP 4,544

99.29%

Eggs

$3.29 SGD 4.24

$2.16 COP 7,046

52.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.19 SGD 24.78

$4.39 COP 14.3K

337.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.42 SGD 14.74

$5.88 COP 19.1K

94.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.61 SGD 29.18

$8.64 COP 28.1K

161.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 SGD 5.88

$2.28 COP 7,425

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 SGD 3.85

$1.11 COP 3,603

168.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.95 SGD 6.40

$1.53 COP 4,982

223.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.74 SGD 3.53

$1.35 COP 4,410

102.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 SGD 3.25

$1.13 COP 3,674

123.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 SGD 2.80

$1.13 COP 3,692

92.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 SGD 2.52

$0.85 COP 2,753

129.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 SGD 1.93

$0.91 COP 2,975

63.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.20 SGD 17.04

$2.34 COP 7,629

464.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.04 SGD 29.74

$12.37 COP 40.3K

86.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 SGD 5.38

$1.20 COP 3,909

247.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 SGD 6.66

$2.49 COP 8,104

107.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 SGD 2.06

$0.84 COP 2,727

89.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.0 SGD 121

$40.57 COP 132.1K

131.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.68 SGD 4.75

$1.42 COP 4,623

159.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 SGD 0.94

$1.92 COP 6,235

-62.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.54 SGD 21.35

$7.66 COP 24.9K

115.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 SGD 2.84

$0.99 COP 3,223

122.22%

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

$142.5K SGD 183.9K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

690.31%

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

$127.5K SGD 164.6K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

378.79%

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

$156 SGD 201

$80.8 COP 263.1K

92.43%

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

$18.63 SGD 24.05

$9.95 COP 32.4K

87.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.75 SGD 48.73

$24.18 COP 78.7K

56.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$120 SGD 155

$25.08 COP 81.6K

378.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.10 SGD 15.61

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-36.81%

Cinema Ticket

$11.53 SGD 14.89

$3.98 COP 13.0K

189.70%

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

$1,190 SGD 1,536

$305 COP 993.4K

289.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.1K SGD 37.6K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

381.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.5 SGD 108

$58.1 COP 189.2K

43.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.55 SGD 54.9

$32.20 COP 104.8K

32.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 SGD 139

$101 COP 327.9K

6.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 SGD 166

$108 COP 350.8K

19.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,209 SGD 4,142

$477 COP 1.6M

573.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,299 SGD 2,968

$376 COP 1.2M

511.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,127 SGD 7,909

$845 COP 2.7M

625.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,793 SGD 4,896

$730 COP 2.4M

419.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.3K SGD 30.0K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

623.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.4K SGD 21.2K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

1094.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,969 SGD 5,124

$617 COP 2.0M

543.47%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,209 in Singapore versus $477 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 543% 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: $450 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

Singapore vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Singapore is pricier by about 240%, 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 $5,261 per month in Singapore and $1,546 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 $3,507 in Singapore and $1,031 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 $1,031, than in Singapore at $3,507. 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.