Cost of Living Comparison Between Southern Cross and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Southern Cross and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,511 per month in Southern Cross vs $1,555 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,622 per month in Southern Cross vs $2,314 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,734 per month in Southern Cross vs $3,072 in Medellin, rent included.

Southern Cross costs about 61% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Southern Cross and Medellin sit above the global median – Southern Cross by 86%, Medellin by 15%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.46 A$27.73

$7.59 COP 25.5K

156.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.0 A$88.4

$44.78 COP 150.6K

38.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.10 A$12.97

$9.24 COP 31.1K

-1.52%

Cappuccino

$3.52 A$5.02

$2.95 COP 9,912

19.32%

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

$2.41 A$3.44

$1.80 COP 6,057

33.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 A$2.58

$1.35 COP 4,538

34.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.18 A$10.23

$2.93 COP 9,863

145.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.37 A$11.92

$5.46 COP 18.4K

53.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.31

$1.43 COP 4,819

13.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 A$3.80

$2.39 COP 8,045

11.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 A$3.08

$1.60 COP 5,383

35.00%

Eggs

$2.73 A$3.89

$2.88 COP 9,678

-5.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.63 A$13.72

$9.71 COP 32.7K

-0.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.14 A$13.02

$9.44 COP 31.7K

-3.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.39 A$20.50

$13.24 COP 44.5K

8.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 A$5.24

$3.75 COP 12.6K

-1.87%

Banana (1kg)

$3.01 A$4.29

$1.45 COP 4,860

107.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.74

$2.10 COP 7,058

58.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 A$6.68

$2.13 COP 7,162

119.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 A$3.74

$1.92 COP 6,469

36.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 A$3.52

$1.53 COP 5,150

61.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 A$3.50

$1.09 COP 3,668

125.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 A$2.34

$1.18 COP 3,972

39.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$35.24 A$50.2

$3.79 COP 12.7K

829.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.19 A$20.23

$13.16 COP 44.3K

7.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.70 A$6.70

$1.64 COP 5,516

186.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 A$7.46

$2.28 COP 7,658

129.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.30 A$4.71

$1.18 COP 3,953

179.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.6 A$131

$73.6 COP 247.5K

24.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 A$5.52

$1.28 COP 4,296

202.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 A$2.44

$1.98 COP 6,649

-13.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.94 A$62.6

$7.89 COP 26.5K

456.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 A$1.81

$1.29 COP 4,352

-1.55%

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

$23.9K A$34.0K

$26.8K COP 90.1M

-10.84%

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

$33.6K A$47.9K

$34.7K COP 116.7M

-3.14%

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

$209 A$298

$158 COP 530.8K

32.41%

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

$28.09 A$40.02

$13.39 COP 45.0K

109.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 A$80.0

$27.28 COP 91.7K

105.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.9 A$88.2

$44.15 COP 148.5K

40.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 A$24.59

$15.99 COP 53.8K

7.94%

Cinema Ticket

$14.48 A$20.63

$6.39 COP 21.5K

126.60%

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

$2,185 A$3,113

$777 COP 2.6M

181.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.6K A$27.9K

$8,800 COP 29.6M

122.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.4 A$96.0

$82.7 COP 278.2K

-18.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.9 A$88.2

$56.1 COP 188.7K

10.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 A$169

$131 COP 440.0K

-9.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 A$153

$95.9 COP 322.5K

12.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,477 A$2,104

$1,006 COP 3.4M

46.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 A$1,841

$627 COP 2.1M

106.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,902 A$2,710

$1,826 COP 6.1M

4.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,046 A$2,915

$969 COP 3.3M

111.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,744 A$8,185

$3,907 COP 13.1M

47.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,999 A$7,122

$1,576 COP 5.3M

217.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,056 A$10.1K

$620 COP 2.1M

1038.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

10.94

-42.87%

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

Last update for Southern Cross: September 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,477 in Southern Cross versus $1,006 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 1038% higher in Southern Cross, 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 $62.0 in Southern Cross versus $45.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $358 vs $285 – 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

Southern Cross vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Southern Cross is pricier by about 61%, 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 $3,766 per month in Southern Cross and $2,333 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 $62.0 in Southern Cross and $45.00 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 $2,511 in Southern Cross and $1,555 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 $1,555, than in Southern Cross at $2,511. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Southern Cross 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, Southern Cross makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.