Cost of Living Comparison Between Sterling and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Sterling and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,702 per month in Sterling vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,957 per month in Sterling vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,211 per month in Sterling vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Sterling costs about 161% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sterling sits 102% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.26 $20.26

$5.92 COP 21.5K

242.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.0 $84.0

$32.75 COP 119.1K

156.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.22 $13.22

$7.20 COP 26.2K

83.61%

Cappuccino

$5.44 $5.44

$1.70 COP 6,186

220.00%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$1.10 COP 3,996

148.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$0.72 COP 2,625

222.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 $5.93

$1.67 COP 6,067

255.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.72 $7.72

$3.10 COP 11.3K

149.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.06 COP 3,837

-15.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.25 COP 4,531

186.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.39 COP 5,060

51.80%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$2.26 COP 8,229

123.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.02 $19.02

$4.33 COP 15.8K

339.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.14 $12.14

$5.84 COP 21.2K

107.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.57 $18.57

$8.83 COP 32.1K

110.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$2.24 COP 8,159

109.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.08 COP 3,911

23.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.15 $7.15

$1.53 COP 5,563

367.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.42 $6.42

$1.37 COP 4,987

368.61%

Potato (1kg)

$3.56 $3.56

$1.13 COP 4,109

215.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.12 COP 4,067

144.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$0.85 COP 3,080

163.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$0.91 COP 3,305

162.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.87 $8.87

$2.33 COP 8,477

280.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.73 $13.73

$11.13 COP 40.5K

23.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.19 COP 4,342

47.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 $4.89

$2.37 COP 8,617

106.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.79 COP 2,859

154.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.39 $4.39

$1.44 COP 5,223

204.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.91 COP 6,952

-27.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.14 $29.14

$8.02 COP 29.2K

263.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.94 COP 3,410

-7.45%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

49.20%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-9.37%

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

$212 $212

$84.0 COP 305.4K

152.29%

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

$53.6 $53.6

$9.60 COP 34.9K

457.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$24.16 COP 87.9K

201.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.61 $28.61

$25.88 COP 94.1K

10.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$14.85 $14.85

$3.92 COP 14.2K

278.83%

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

$1,740 $1,740

$306 COP 1.1M

468.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

301.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.46 $47.46

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-18.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.60 $44.60

$31.82 COP 115.7K

40.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 $97.9

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-2.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$107 COP 389.7K

9.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 $1,242

$487 COP 1.8M

155.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,362 $1,362

$368 COP 1.3M

270.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 $1,975

$826 COP 3.0M

139.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 $2,205

$716 COP 2.6M

207.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,221 $3,221

$2,925 COP 10.6M

10.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,375 $2,375

$1,407 COP 5.1M

68.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,819 $3,819

$546 COP 2.0M

600.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

13.43

-51.08%

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

Last update for Sterling: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,242 in Sterling 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.

Salaries run about 600% higher in Sterling, 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 $84.0 in Sterling versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 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

Sterling vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sterling is pricier by about 161%, 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 $4,053 per month in Sterling 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 $84.0 in Sterling and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 131% more in Sterling, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Sterling at $2,702. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sterling 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, Sterling makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.