Cost of Living Comparison Between St Lawrence and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between St Lawrence and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,296 per month in St Lawrence vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,960 per month in St Lawrence vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,625 per month in St Lawrence vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

St Lawrence costs about 219% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

St Lawrence sits 146% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.33 JEP 15.06

$5.92 COP 21.4K

243.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.6 JEP 49.35

$32.75 COP 118.2K

103.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 JEP 8.03

$7.20 COP 26.0K

50.42%

Cappuccino

$4.04 JEP 3.00

$1.70 COP 6,140

137.65%

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

$1.39 JEP 1.03

$1.10 COP 3,966

26.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 JEP 1.03

$0.72 COP 2,605

93.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.03 JEP 2.99

$1.67 COP 6,022

141.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 JEP 5.13

$3.10 COP 11.2K

123.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 JEP 1.32

$1.06 COP 3,809

67.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 JEP 1.49

$1.25 COP 4,497

60.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 JEP 1.50

$1.39 COP 5,022

46.04%

Eggs

$5.33 JEP 3.95

$2.26 COP 8,168

135.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.03 JEP 2.99

$4.33 COP 15.6K

-6.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.65 JEP 8.63

$5.84 COP 21.1K

99.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.89 JEP 5.11

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-21.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 JEP 3.06

$2.24 COP 8,099

84.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 JEP 1.55

$1.08 COP 3,882

93.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.48 JEP 2.58

$1.53 COP 5,522

127.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 JEP 3.10

$1.37 COP 4,950

205.11%

Potato (1kg)

$3.91 JEP 2.89

$1.13 COP 4,078

246.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 JEP 2.00

$1.12 COP 4,036

141.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 JEP 1.47

$0.85 COP 3,057

134.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 JEP 1.22

$0.91 COP 3,281

81.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.34 JEP 8.40

$2.33 COP 8,414

386.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.02 JEP 8.17

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-0.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.18 JEP 3.10

$1.19 COP 4,309

251.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 JEP 4.93

$2.37 COP 8,553

180.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.45 JEP 2.55

$0.79 COP 2,838

336.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.3 JEP 52.1

$41.13 COP 148.5K

70.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 JEP 4.47

$1.44 COP 5,184

318.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.85 JEP 2.85

$1.91 COP 6,901

101.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 JEP 2.03

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-65.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 JEP 1.55

$0.94 COP 3,385

122.34%

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

$22.4K JEP 16.6K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

25.15%

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

$33.5K JEP 24.8K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

24.98%

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

$136 JEP 101

$84.0 COP 303.1K

61.87%

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

$25.07 JEP 18.58

$9.60 COP 34.7K

161.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.8 JEP 49.50

$24.16 COP 87.2K

176.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.6 JEP 65.6

$25.88 COP 93.4K

242.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.42 JEP 15.13

$19.04 COP 68.7K

7.25%

Cinema Ticket

$14.40 JEP 10.67

$3.92 COP 14.1K

267.35%

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

$2,011 JEP 1,490

$306 COP 1.1M

556.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K JEP 12.9K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

194.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.2 JEP 70.5

$57.9 COP 209.1K

64.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.11 JEP 35.65

$31.82 COP 114.9K

51.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 JEP 93.0

$99.9 COP 360.6K

25.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 JEP 100

$107 COP 386.8K

25.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,919 JEP 1,422

$487 COP 1.8M

294.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,104 JEP 1,559

$368 COP 1.3M

471.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,434 JEP 2,545

$826 COP 3.0M

315.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,739 JEP 2,770

$716 COP 2.6M

422.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.75

13.43

-79.52%

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

Last update for St Lawrence: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,919 in St Lawrence versus $487 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 $67.0 in St Lawrence versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 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

St Lawrence vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – St Lawrence is pricier by about 219%, 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 $4,943 per month in St Lawrence and $1,550 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 $67.0 in St Lawrence 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 $3,296 in St Lawrence and $1,034 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 $1,034, than in St Lawrence at $3,296. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in St Lawrence 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, St Lawrence makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.