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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $311 in Artigas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $367 in Artigas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $424 in Artigas.

Living in Medellin is roughly 226% more expensive than Artigas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Artigas 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$1.21 UYU 48.73

-28.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$44.57 UYU 1,797

-7.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.45 UYU 58.3

1.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.57 UYU 63.4

24.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$10.96 UYU 442

-29.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$2.40 UYU 96.9

-60.42%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$38.9K UYU 1.6M

-53.37%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$39.4K UYU 1.6M

-32.77%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$174 UYU 7,004

-52.65%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$39.02 UYU 1,573

-37.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$29.31 UYU 1,182

-11.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$8.64 UYU 348

-54.51%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Artigas: May 31, 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 226% 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 $1,519 in Medellin and $466 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.

A monthly transit pass in Artigas runs roughly 8% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $311 in Artigas – a 226% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $311 in Artigas versus $1,013 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 $311 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 226% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.