Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Atlantida Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Atlantida

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,584 in Atlantida, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,563 in Atlantida, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $3,543 in Atlantida, rent included.

Medellin is about 36% cheaper than Atlantida, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Atlantida is 18% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$21.16 UYU 852

-71.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$60.5 UYU 2,437

-45.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$12.25 UYU 494

-42.12%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$3.49 UYU 141

-51.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.78 UYU 71.6

-38.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$1.06 UYU 42.55

-26.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$2.75 UYU 111

-38.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$3.52 UYU 142

-12.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.06 UYU 42.57

2.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$3.19 UYU 128

-60.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.35 UYU 54.5

2.22%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$3.76 UYU 151

-41.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$13.04 UYU 525

-66.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$9.49 UYU 382

-40.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$10.34 UYU 416

-14.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.41 UYU 97.2

-2.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.37 UYU 95.4

-55.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.28 UYU 51.5

17.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$2.67 UYU 107

-48.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.65 UYU 66.5

-30.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$2.04 UYU 82.2

-43.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.17 UYU 47.20

-23.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.78 UYU 71.8

-52.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$4.89 UYU 197

-53.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$7.52 UYU 303

41.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$2.37 UYU 95.6

-49.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.48 UYU 99.9

-0.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$2.76 UYU 111

-68.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$46.31 UYU 1,865

-10.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$2.02 UYU 81.2

-27.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.52 UYU 61.1

28.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$17.53 UYU 706

-55.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.97 UYU 79.2

-51.78%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$39.4K UYU 1.6M

-54.00%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$38.1K UYU 1.5M

-30.43%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$85.7 UYU 3,453

-4.07%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$29.21 UYU 1,176

-67.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$31.42 UYU 1,265

-22.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$60.3 UYU 2,426

-57.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$16.98 UYU 684

11.90%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$11.73 UYU 472

-66.50%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$489 UYU 19.7K

-36.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$8,704 UYU 350.5K

-31.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$90.7 UYU 3,652

-35.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$41.74 UYU 1,681

-22.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$211 UYU 8,486

-51.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$122 UYU 4,918

-11.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$752 UYU 30.3K

-36.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$519 UYU 20.9K

-27.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,291 UYU 52.0K

-35.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$973 UYU 39.2K

-25.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$2,035 UYU 82.0K

37.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,498 UYU 60.3K

-19.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$530 UYU 21.3K

-3.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

34.30%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Atlantida: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $752 in Atlantida. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 4% higher in Atlantida, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $61.0 in Atlantida. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $292 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Atlantida: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Atlantida is pricier by about 56%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $2,376 in Atlantida. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $61.0 in Atlantida. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $1,584 in Atlantida. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Atlantida at $1,584. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Atlantida it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Atlantida makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.