Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and San Jose 

Indices DifferenceInfo
Cost of Living in San Jose is 75.6% higher than in Medellin (without rent)
Cost of Living Including Rent in San Jose is 74.1% higher than in Medellin
Rent Prices in San Jose are 69.0% higher than in Medellin
Restaurant Prices in San Jose are 86.4% higher than in Medellin
Groceries Prices in San Jose are 87.2% higher than in Medellin
Local Purchasing Power in San Jose is 32.1% higher than in Medellin
Currency: Sticky Currency      Switch to metric measurement units
Restaurants
Medellin Edit San Jose Edit Difference
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant 27,000.00 Col$
(3,288.53 ₡)
49,262.19 Col$
(6,000.00 ₡)
     +82.5 %
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course 120,000.00 Col$
(14,615.67 ₡)
246,310.93 Col$
(30,000.00 ₡)
     +105.3 %
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) 29,500.00 Col$
(3,593.02 ₡)
41,051.82 Col$
(5,000.00 ₡)
     +39.2 %
Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) 7,000.00 Col$
(852.58 ₡)
12,315.55 Col$
(1,500.00 ₡)
     +75.9 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 13,000.00 Col$
(1,583.36 ₡)
20,525.91 Col$
(2,500.00 ₡)
     +57.9 %
Cappuccino (regular) 6,704.86 Col$
(816.63 ₡)
16,109.01 Col$
(1,962.03 ₡)
     +140.3 %
Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) 4,200.35 Col$
(511.59 ₡)
8,351.89 Col$
(1,017.24 ₡)
     +98.8 %
Water (12 oz small bottle) 3,027.39 Col$
(368.73 ₡)
6,398.21 Col$
(779.28 ₡)
     +111.3 %
Markets
Medellin Edit San Jose Edit
Milk (regular), (1 gallon) 17,197.94 Col$
(2,094.66 ₡)
31,033.44 Col$
(3,779.79 ₡)
     +80.4 %
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) 5,173.91 Col$
(630.17 ₡)
9,919.32 Col$
(1,208.15 ₡)
     +91.7 %
Rice (white), (1 lb) 2,586.69 Col$
(315.05 ₡)
3,854.96 Col$
(469.52 ₡)
     +49.0 %
Eggs (regular) (12) 8,712.59 Col$
(1,061.17 ₡)
12,544.99 Col$
(1,527.95 ₡)
     +44.0 %
Local Cheese (1 lb) 8,433.93 Col$
(1,027.23 ₡)
16,544.69 Col$
(2,015.10 ₡)
     +96.2 %
Chicken Fillets (1 lb) 11,019.43 Col$
(1,342.14 ₡)
17,438.80 Col$
(2,124.00 ₡)
     +58.3 %
Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) 18,271.05 Col$
(2,225.36 ₡)
26,879.75 Col$
(3,273.88 ₡)
     +47.1 %
Apples (1 lb) 4,035.05 Col$
(491.46 ₡)
7,986.61 Col$
(972.75 ₡)
     +97.9 %
Banana (1 lb) 1,850.99 Col$
(225.45 ₡)
2,777.50 Col$
(338.29 ₡)
     +50.1 %
Oranges (1 lb) 2,833.05 Col$
(345.06 ₡)
7,324.19 Col$
(892.07 ₡)
     +158.5 %
Tomato (1 lb) 2,608.16 Col$
(317.67 ₡)
6,059.68 Col$
(738.05 ₡)
     +132.3 %
Potato (1 lb) 2,259.00 Col$
(275.14 ₡)
5,804.84 Col$
(707.01 ₡)
     +157.0 %
Onion (1 lb) 2,142.33 Col$
(260.93 ₡)
5,345.19 Col$
(651.03 ₡)
     +149.5 %
Lettuce (1 head) 3,697.38 Col$
(450.33 ₡)
4,811.39 Col$
(586.01 ₡)
     +30.1 %
Water (1.5 liter bottle) 3,989.14 Col$
(485.87 ₡)
11,494.51 Col$
(1,400.00 ₡)
     +188.1 %
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) 40,000.00 Col$
(4,871.89 ₡)
73,893.28 Col$
(9,000.00 ₡)
     +84.7 %
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) 4,587.92 Col$
(558.80 ₡)
10,753.35 Col$
(1,309.73 ₡)
     +134.4 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 9,201.87 Col$
(1,120.76 ₡)
12,472.81 Col$
(1,519.15 ₡)
     +35.5 %
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) 9,000.00 Col$
(1,096.18 ₡)
21,757.47 Col$
(2,650.00 ₡)
     +141.7 %
Transportation
Medellin Edit San Jose Edit
One-way Ticket (Local Transport) 3,250.00 Col$
(395.84 ₡)
4,105.18 Col$
(500.00 ₡)
     +26.3 %
Monthly Pass (Regular Price) 160,000.00 Col$
(19,487.56 ₡)
165,706.57 Col$
(20,182.61 ₡)
     +3.6 %
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) 5,950.00 Col$
(724.69 ₡)
7,574.06 Col$
(922.50 ₡)
     +27.3 %
Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) 12,874.76 Col$
(1,568.11 ₡)
12,189.27 Col$
(1,484.62 ₡)
     -5.3 %
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) 29,000.00 Col$
(3,532.12 ₡)
30,932.55 Col$
(3,767.50 ₡)
     +6.7 %
Gasoline (1 gallon) 15,231.26 Col$
(1,855.13 ₡)
22,502.03 Col$
(2,740.69 ₡)
     +47.7 %
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) 77,000,000.00 Col$
(9,378,390.17 ₡)
155,996,921.96 Col$
(19,000,000.00 ₡)
     +102.6 %
Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) 111,758,833.50 Col$
(13,611,921.38 ₡)
134,298,116.02 Col$
(16,357,144.57 ₡)
     +20.2 %
Utilities (Monthly)
Medellin Edit San Jose Edit
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment 337,079.25 Col$
(41,055.33 ₡)
376,313.63 Col$
(45,833.97 ₡)
     +11.6 %
Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data 39,821.92 Col$
(4,850.20 ₡)
104,226.01 Col$
(12,694.44 ₡)
     +161.7 %
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) 103,760.00 Col$
(12,637.69 ₡)
234,761.97 Col$
(28,593.37 ₡)
     +126.3 %
Sports And Leisure
Medellin Edit San Jose Edit
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 108,127.00 Col$
(13,169.57 ₡)
282,875.42 Col$
(34,453.45 ₡)
     +161.6 %
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) 80,000.00 Col$
(9,743.78 ₡)
159,016.27 Col$
(19,367.75 ₡)
     +98.8 %
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat 19,000.00 Col$
(2,314.15 ₡)
41,051.82 Col$
(5,000.00 ₡)
     +116.1 %
Childcare
Medellin Edit San Jose Edit
Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child 1,192,500.00 Col$
(145,243.25 ₡)
2,487,740.39 Col$
(303,000.00 ₡)
     +108.6 %
International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child 23,100,000.00 Col$
(2,813,517.05 ₡)
52,333,927.73 Col$
(6,374,129.79 ₡)
     +126.6 %
Clothing And Shoes
Medellin Edit San Jose Edit
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) 247,856.53 Col$
(30,188.25 ₡)
297,554.26 Col$
(36,241.30 ₡)
     +20.1 %
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) 147,089.03 Col$
(17,915.04 ₡)
222,340.22 Col$
(27,080.43 ₡)
     +51.2 %
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) 404,736.84 Col$
(49,295.84 ₡)
519,045.18 Col$
(63,218.29 ₡)
     +28.2 %
1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes 408,093.50 Col$
(49,704.68 ₡)
545,846.33 Col$
(66,482.60 ₡)
     +33.8 %
Rent Per Month
Medellin Edit San Jose Edit
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre 1,945,376.20 Col$
(236,941.52 ₡)
3,479,051.98 Col$
(423,739.05 ₡)
     +78.8 %
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre 1,453,814.99 Col$
(177,070.70 ₡)
2,151,442.41 Col$
(262,039.82 ₡)
     +48.0 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre 3,442,345.76 Col$
(419,268.33 ₡)
6,344,461.46 Col$
(772,738.12 ₡)
     +84.3 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre 2,839,170.78 Col$
(345,803.26 ₡)
4,389,547.08 Col$
(534,634.87 ₡)
     +54.6 %
Buy Apartment Price
Medellin Edit San Jose Edit
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre 646,910.17 Col$
(78,791.90 ₡)
1,118,716.80 Col$
(136,256.66 ₡)
     +72.9 %
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre 552,008.38 Col$
(67,233.12 ₡)
660,182.41 Col$
(80,408.42 ₡)
     +19.6 %
Salaries And Financing
Medellin Edit San Jose Edit
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) 1,776,338.00 Col$
(216,353.13 ₡)
4,086,936.90 Col$
(497,777.78 ₡)
     +130.1 %
Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate 14.06 11.00      -21.8 %
Last update: February 2025February 2025
Contributors in the past 12 months:7351