Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Artigas Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Artigas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $47.23 in Artigas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $71.0 in Artigas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $93.9 in Artigas.

Living in Medellin is roughly 3459% more expensive than in Artigas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Artigas is 97% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

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

$177 COP 559.3K

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$29.36 UYU 1,180

52.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$8.83 UYU 355

-24.69%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Artigas: September 12, 2026

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

Medellin vs Artigas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Artigas wins on cost – living expenses run 3459% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Artigas the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,521 in Medellin and $70.8 in Artigas to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

At $47.23 in Artigas versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Artigas but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Artigas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Artigas delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $47.23 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Artigas hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Artigas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3459% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.