Cost of Living Comparison Between Sunnyvale, CA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Sunnyvale, CA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,877 per month in Sunnyvale, CA vs $1,028 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,379 per month in Sunnyvale, CA vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,882 per month in Sunnyvale, CA vs $2,144 in Medellin, rent included.

Sunnyvale, CA costs about 277% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Sunnyvale, CA sits 191% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.77 $22.77

$6.00 COP 20.6K

279.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.9 $63.9

$32.84 COP 112.5K

94.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 $10.97

$7.42 COP 25.4K

47.84%

Cappuccino

$5.88 $5.88

$1.65 COP 5,659

256.36%

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

$2.55 $2.55

$1.07 COP 3,663

138.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$0.76 COP 2,607

225.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.65 $7.65

$1.72 COP 5,908

344.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.22 $8.22

$3.20 COP 11.0K

156.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.05 COP 3,597

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$4.72 $4.72

$1.31 COP 4,479

260.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$1.34 COP 4,591

225.37%

Eggs

$3.58 $3.58

$2.19 COP 7,521

63.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 $10.97

$4.41 COP 15.1K

148.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.21 $11.21

$5.69 COP 19.5K

97.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.24 $14.24

$8.52 COP 29.2K

67.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$2.34 COP 8,023

69.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.11 COP 3,804

100.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$1.52 COP 5,210

157.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$1.37 COP 4,680

281.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.15 COP 3,950

108.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.18 COP 4,043

88.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 $2.53

$0.84 COP 2,885

201.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.86 COP 2,931

12.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.70 $8.70

$2.26 COP 7,753

284.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.01 $13.01

$11.60 COP 39.8K

12.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.20 COP 4,109

79.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.48 COP 8,484

1.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$0.79 COP 2,721

286.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.34 $30.34

$40.83 COP 139.9K

-25.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 $4.23

$1.47 COP 5,023

187.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.92 COP 6,568

-1.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.56 $39.56

$7.77 COP 26.6K

409.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.01 COP 3,464

21.78%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$17.7K COP 60.5M

52.72%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$26.5K COP 90.7M

3.86%

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

$188 $188

$81.1 COP 277.9K

131.90%

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

$52.2 $52.2

$9.43 COP 32.3K

453.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.7 $61.7

$23.86 COP 81.8K

158.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 $50.1

$25.99 COP 89.1K

92.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 $16.38

$18.71 COP 64.1K

-12.45%

Cinema Ticket

$17.18 $17.18

$4.09 COP 14.0K

320.05%

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

$2,651 $2,651

$315 COP 1.1M

742.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.9K $37.9K

$6,022 COP 20.6M

529.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 $61.4

$59.7 COP 204.6K

2.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.48 $35.48

$31.97 COP 109.6K

10.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 $96.3

$101 COP 346.9K

-4.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 $146

$105 COP 360.3K

38.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,782 $2,782

$485 COP 1.7M

472.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,605 $2,605

$365 COP 1.3M

613.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,890 $4,890

$827 COP 2.8M

491.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,937 $3,937

$730 COP 2.5M

439.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,157 $9,157

$2,992 COP 10.3M

206.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,961 $8,961

$1,314 COP 4.5M

581.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,976 $7,976

$551 COP 1.9M

1348.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

13.43

-52.64%

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

Last update for Sunnyvale, CA: June 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,782 in Sunnyvale, CA versus $485 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 1348% higher in Sunnyvale, CA, 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 $64.0 in Sunnyvale, CA versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $374 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

Sunnyvale, CA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sunnyvale, CA is pricier by about 277%, 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 $5,815 per month in Sunnyvale, CA and $1,542 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 $64.0 in Sunnyvale, CA 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 $3,877 in Sunnyvale, CA and $1,028 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 $1,028, than in Sunnyvale, CA at $3,877. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sunnyvale, CA 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, Sunnyvale, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.