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: $855 in Mar del Plata versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,426 in Mar del Plata versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,997 in Mar del Plata versus $2,188 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 36% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.39 ARS 13.4K

$5.95 COP 20.8K

57.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.16 ARS 54.5K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

14.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 ARS 11.5K

$7.23 COP 25.2K

11.62%

Cappuccino

$2.47 ARS 3,529

$1.63 COP 5,687

51.53%

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

$2.17 ARS 3,094

$1.09 COP 3,821

99.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ARS 3,033

$0.73 COP 2,548

190.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ARS 4,687

$1.74 COP 6,065

88.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ARS 4,721

$3.23 COP 11.3K

2.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 ARS 1,510

$1.05 COP 3,662

0.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ARS 2,049

$1.29 COP 4,515

10.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 ARS 3,082

$1.32 COP 4,617

63.64%

Eggs

$1.58 ARS 2,261

$2.27 COP 7,927

-30.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.84 ARS 9,772

$4.35 COP 15.2K

57.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ARS 7,639

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-9.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.74 ARS 11.1K

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-10.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ARS 3,946

$2.25 COP 7,844

22.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ARS 3,036

$1.07 COP 3,733

99.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ARS 2,140

$1.52 COP 5,322

-1.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 ARS 3,618

$1.42 COP 4,964

78.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ARS 1,829

$1.17 COP 4,084

9.40%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 ARS 1,370

$1.17 COP 4,077

-17.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ARS 885

$0.89 COP 3,096

-30.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ARS 1,725

$0.90 COP 3,146

34.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.49 ARS 4,979

$2.25 COP 7,837

55.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.08 ARS 4,399

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-72.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ARS 1,904

$1.14 COP 3,977

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ARS 2,805

$2.38 COP 8,301

-17.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 ARS 1,076

$0.84 COP 2,916

-10.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.94 ARS 14.2K

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-76.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 ARS 2,089

$1.41 COP 4,912

3.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ARS 1,051

$1.90 COP 6,634

-61.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ARS 11.2K

$7.75 COP 27.0K

1.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ARS 1,570

$1.01 COP 3,509

8.91%

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

$27.3K ARS 38.9M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

55.10%

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

$39.0K ARS 55.7M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

47.14%

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

$85.4 ARS 122.0K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

2.03%

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

$10.27 ARS 14.7K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

8.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.40 ARS 36.3K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

5.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.28 ARS 24.7K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-31.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.86 ARS 11.2K

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-58.93%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 ARS 5,686

$4.10 COP 14.3K

-2.93%

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

$162 ARS 232.1K

$312 COP 1.1M

-47.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,242 ARS 4.6M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-45.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 ARS 80.7K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-2.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.4 ARS 89.1K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

91.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 ARS 91.7K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-35.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.9 ARS 89.9K

$109 COP 378.8K

-42.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 ARS 406.9K

$482 COP 1.7M

-40.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 ARS 294.8K

$379 COP 1.3M

-45.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$718 ARS 1.0M

$837 COP 2.9M

-14.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 ARS 831.8K

$723 COP 2.5M

-19.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$618 ARS 882.5K

$541 COP 1.9M

14.21%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $285 in Mar del Plata and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mar del Plata pays 14% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Mar del Plata vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $190 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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.

Mar del Plata pays 14% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $285 in Mar del Plata versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $855 per month in Mar del Plata versus $1,017 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 322% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $855 in Mar del Plata versus $1,017 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 $855 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.