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: $838 in Mar del Plata versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,425 in Mar del Plata versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,011 in Mar del Plata versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Mar del Plata costs roughly 19% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mar del Plata 37% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.87 ARS 13.8K

$5.92 COP 21.4K

66.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.84 ARS 51.4K

$32.75 COP 118.2K

12.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ARS 11.5K

$7.20 COP 26.0K

15.00%

Cappuccino

$2.42 ARS 3,371

$1.70 COP 6,140

42.35%

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

$2.20 ARS 3,069

$1.10 COP 3,966

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ARS 2,865

$0.72 COP 2,605

184.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 ARS 4,462

$1.67 COP 6,022

91.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 ARS 4,622

$3.10 COP 11.2K

6.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 ARS 1,545

$1.06 COP 3,809

4.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ARS 1,982

$1.25 COP 4,497

13.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 ARS 2,909

$1.39 COP 5,022

49.64%

Eggs

$1.49 ARS 2,085

$2.26 COP 8,168

-34.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 ARS 9,388

$4.33 COP 15.6K

55.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.33 ARS 7,438

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-8.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.45 ARS 10.4K

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-15.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 ARS 3,794

$2.24 COP 8,099

21.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 ARS 2,959

$1.08 COP 3,882

96.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 ARS 2,102

$1.53 COP 5,522

-1.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 ARS 3,519

$1.37 COP 4,950

83.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ARS 1,793

$1.13 COP 4,078

14.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ARS 1,389

$1.12 COP 4,036

-10.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ARS 873

$0.85 COP 3,057

-25.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ARS 1,681

$0.91 COP 3,281

31.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 ARS 4,941

$2.33 COP 8,414

51.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.94 ARS 6,896

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-55.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 ARS 1,874

$1.19 COP 4,309

12.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ARS 2,722

$2.37 COP 8,553

-17.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 ARS 1,060

$0.79 COP 2,838

-3.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.90 ARS 13.8K

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-75.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 ARS 2,139

$1.44 COP 5,184

6.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 ARS 1,069

$1.91 COP 6,901

-59.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.91 ARS 11.0K

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-1.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ARS 1,580

$0.94 COP 3,385

20.21%

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

$27.9K ARS 38.9M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

55.51%

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

$40.2K ARS 56.0M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

49.93%

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

$83.7 ARS 116.8K

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-0.32%

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

$10.36 ARS 14.5K

$9.60 COP 34.7K

7.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.20 ARS 35.2K

$24.16 COP 87.2K

4.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.02 ARS 23.8K

$25.88 COP 93.4K

-34.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.93 ARS 11.1K

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-58.35%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 ARS 5,431

$3.92 COP 14.1K

-0.77%

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

$159 ARS 221.8K

$306 COP 1.1M

-48.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,227 ARS 4.5M

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-45.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 ARS 77.4K

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-4.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.7 ARS 86.1K

$31.82 COP 114.9K

94.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 ARS 89.1K

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-36.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.6 ARS 88.7K

$107 COP 386.8K

-40.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 ARS 391.5K

$487 COP 1.8M

-42.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 ARS 287.4K

$368 COP 1.3M

-44.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$734 ARS 1.0M

$826 COP 3.0M

-11.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$575 ARS 802.1K

$716 COP 2.6M

-19.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,203 ARS 3.1M

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-24.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$604 ARS 842.6K

$546 COP 2.0M

10.70%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $281 in Mar del Plata and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mar del Plata pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Mar del Plata vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 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 23% 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 11% 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: $281 in Mar del Plata versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $838 per month in Mar del Plata versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 23% 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 315% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $838 in Mar del Plata versus $1,034 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 $838 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 23% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.