Cost of Living Comparison Between Mar del Plata and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Mar del Plata and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $844 in Mar del Plata versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,417 in Mar del Plata versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,991 in Mar del Plata versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Mar del Plata costs roughly 16% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mar del Plata 37% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.53 ARS 14.1K

$5.91 COP 18.6K

61.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.25 ARS 55.3K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

13.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.17 ARS 12.1K

$7.43 COP 23.4K

9.96%

Cappuccino

$2.41 ARS 3,579

$1.65 COP 5,207

46.06%

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

$2.18 ARS 3,238

$1.10 COP 3,468

98.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ARS 3,051

$0.78 COP 2,458

162.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.34 ARS 4,959

$1.72 COP 5,412

94.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 ARS 4,732

$3.18 COP 10.0K

0.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ARS 1,559

$1.10 COP 3,474

-4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 ARS 2,050

$1.26 COP 3,962

9.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 ARS 3,064

$1.38 COP 4,349

49.28%

Eggs

$1.52 ARS 2,264

$2.18 COP 6,858

-30.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.93 ARS 10.3K

$4.49 COP 14.1K

54.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.22 ARS 7,758

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-9.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.47 ARS 11.1K

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-16.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 ARS 4,063

$2.32 COP 7,308

18.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 ARS 3,222

$1.06 COP 3,352

104.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 ARS 2,302

$1.52 COP 4,774

1.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 ARS 3,637

$1.36 COP 4,270

80.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ARS 1,815

$1.13 COP 3,552

7.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 ARS 1,408

$1.17 COP 3,689

-18.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ARS 939

$0.90 COP 2,838

-30.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ARS 1,784

$0.90 COP 2,823

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.48 ARS 5,166

$2.23 COP 7,034

56.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.95 ARS 4,377

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-75.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 ARS 2,068

$1.19 COP 3,743

16.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ARS 2,947

$2.48 COP 7,815

-20.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 ARS 1,129

$0.85 COP 2,687

-10.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.94 ARS 14.8K

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-76.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ARS 2,212

$1.42 COP 4,459

4.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ARS 1,129

$1.95 COP 6,141

-61.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ARS 12.1K

$7.89 COP 24.8K

3.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ARS 1,710

$0.99 COP 3,118

16.16%

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

$28.2K ARS 41.9M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

60.48%

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

$38.9K ARS 57.8M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

45.27%

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

$85.2 ARS 126.6K

$83.0 COP 261.4K

2.67%

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

$10.11 ARS 15.0K

$9.70 COP 30.5K

4.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.00 ARS 37.1K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

6.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.57 ARS 26.1K

$25.26 COP 79.5K

-30.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.84 ARS 11.6K

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-58.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 ARS 6,083

$3.95 COP 12.4K

3.80%

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

$159 ARS 236.8K

$316 COP 994.2K

-49.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,177 ARS 4.7M

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-46.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 ARS 84.2K

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-5.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 ARS 91.3K

$31.82 COP 100.2K

93.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 ARS 96.5K

$102 COP 320.1K

-36.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.7 ARS 93.1K

$107 COP 338.3K

-41.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 ARS 419.6K

$475 COP 1.5M

-40.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$202 ARS 299.3K

$374 COP 1.2M

-46.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 ARS 1.1M

$849 COP 2.7M

-14.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ARS 868.7K

$719 COP 2.3M

-18.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$616 ARS 915.1K

$624 COP 2.0M

-1.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

13.43

335.59%

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

Last update for Mar del Plata: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $283 in Mar del Plata and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 1% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $37.00 in Mar del Plata vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $192 vs $193, with Mar del Plata cheaper for home cooking.

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

Mar del Plata vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mar del Plata wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mar del Plata the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $283 in Mar del Plata versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $844 per month in Mar del Plata versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mar del Plata runs roughly 319% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $844 in Mar del Plata versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mar del Plata but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Mar del Plata the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mar del Plata delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $844 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mar del Plata hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mar del Plata and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mar del Plata gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.