Cost of Living Comparison Between La Plata and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between La Plata and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $877 per month in La Plata vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,492 per month in La Plata vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,107 per month in La Plata vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

La Plata is about 15% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both La Plata and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – La Plata 35% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.80 ARS 16.6K

$5.92 COP 21.5K

99.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.27 ARS 39.8K

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-13.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.35 ARS 7,535

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-25.69%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ARS 4,272

$1.70 COP 6,186

78.24%

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

$0.77 ARS 1,078

$1.10 COP 3,996

-30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ARS 1,017

$0.72 COP 2,625

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ARS 1,429

$1.67 COP 6,067

-39.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 ARS 5,651

$3.10 COP 11.3K

29.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 ARS 1,711

$1.06 COP 3,837

15.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 ARS 2,218

$1.25 COP 4,531

26.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 ARS 2,267

$1.39 COP 5,060

15.83%

Eggs

$2.30 ARS 3,239

$2.26 COP 8,229

1.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ARS 10.5K

$4.33 COP 15.8K

71.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 ARS 8,169

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-0.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.18 ARS 11.5K

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-7.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 ARS 3,489

$2.24 COP 8,159

10.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ARS 2,549

$1.08 COP 3,911

67.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.11 ARS 1,558

$1.53 COP 5,563

-27.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.56 ARS 3,601

$1.37 COP 4,987

86.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ARS 1,021

$1.13 COP 4,109

-35.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ARS 1,570

$1.12 COP 4,067

-0.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 ARS 2,642

$0.85 COP 3,080

121.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ARS 1,795

$0.91 COP 3,305

39.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 ARS 4,321

$2.33 COP 8,477

31.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.02 ARS 7,067

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-54.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 ARS 3,117

$1.19 COP 4,342

85.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ARS 4,273

$2.37 COP 8,617

27.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 ARS 458

$0.79 COP 2,859

-58.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ARS 2,119

$1.44 COP 5,223

4.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 ARS 1,278

$1.91 COP 6,952

-52.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 ARS 8,511

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-24.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 ARS 1,314

$0.94 COP 3,410

-1.06%

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

$24.6K ARS 34.6M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

37.24%

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

$29.2K ARS 41.1M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

8.85%

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

$35.33 ARS 49.8K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-57.92%

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

$15.99 ARS 22.5K

$9.60 COP 34.9K

66.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.24 ARS 32.7K

$24.16 COP 87.9K

-3.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.38 ARS 31.5K

$25.88 COP 94.1K

-13.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.99 ARS 19.7K

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-26.52%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 ARS 10.0K

$3.92 COP 14.2K

81.89%

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

$330 ARS 465.1K

$306 COP 1.1M

7.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,279 ARS 7.4M

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-10.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.0 ARS 131.0K

$57.9 COP 210.6K

60.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$87.1 ARS 122.7K

$31.82 COP 115.7K

173.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ARS 175.2K

$99.9 COP 363.3K

24.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ARS 187.7K

$107 COP 389.7K

24.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$300 ARS 423.1K

$487 COP 1.8M

-38.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 ARS 257.2K

$368 COP 1.3M

-50.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 ARS 908.0K

$826 COP 3.0M

-21.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$514 ARS 724.4K

$716 COP 2.6M

-28.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,981 ARS 2.8M

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-32.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,448 ARS 2.0M

$1,407 COP 5.1M

2.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 ARS 920.2K

$546 COP 2.0M

19.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

52.71

13.43

292.48%

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

Last update for La Plata: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $300 in La Plata 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 20% higher in La Plata, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in La Plata versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $214 in La Plata vs $190 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

La Plata vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $877 in La Plata, $1,034 in Medellin – roughly 18% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,315 per month in La Plata 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 La Plata, 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 $28.00 in La Plata and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in La Plata, where all-in costs run around $877, than in Medellin at $1,034. In La Plata it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $877 in La Plata to $1,034 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 La Plata. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.