Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Atlantida

For one person, living is cheaper in Atlantida: $1,477 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Medellin outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Medellin, Colombia
Atlantida, Uruguay
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Atlantida
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,477
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Atlantida

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Atlantida actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $1,477 in Atlantida, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Atlantida $1,477

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $2,294 in Atlantida, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Atlantida $2,294

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $3,111 in Atlantida, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Atlantida $3,111

Medellin costs about 11% more than Atlantida, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Medellin and Atlantida sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Atlantida by 9%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Atlantida
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$13.00 UYU 522
-37.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.9K
$44.38 UYU 1,783
6.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.7K
$12.62 UYU 507
-24.72%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,735
$3.16 UYU 127
-4.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,809
$1.91 UYU 76.6
-5.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,561
$1.13 UYU 45.40
24.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.3K
$2.90 UYU 116
9.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.6K
$3.58 UYU 144
60.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Atlantida
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,876
$1.29 UYU 52.0
17.05%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,678
$2.68 UYU 108
-11.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,720
$1.44 UYU 57.9
22.92%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,333
$4.52 UYU 182
-36.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$12.10 UYU 486
-15.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.9K
$8.20 UYU 330
20.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.2K
$10.81 UYU 435
29.42%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$2.70 UYU 109
47.04%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,012
$2.19 UYU 88.0
-29.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,048
$1.13 UYU 45.57
92.92%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,051
$2.85 UYU 115
-23.51%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,337
$1.72 UYU 69.3
13.95%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,132
$2.02 UYU 81.3
-21.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,699
$1.25 UYU 50.4
-8.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,014
$1.86 UYU 74.7
-33.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$5.12 UYU 206
-22.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.2K
$6.72 UYU 270
103.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,359
$1.89 UYU 76.1
-12.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,291
$2.51 UYU 101
-9.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Atlantida
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,771
$2.11 UYU 84.8
-44.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.8K
$49.07 UYU 1,972
57.67%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,094
$2.50 UYU 101
-49.20%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,612
$3.45 UYU 139
-40.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
$9.86 UYU 396
-13.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,349
$1.96 UYU 78.7
-31.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.0M
$36.6K UYU 1.5M
-6.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.9M
$36.8K UYU 1.5M
-5.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Atlantida
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.8K
$86.6 UYU 3,479
95.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.8K
$23.96 UYU 963
-43.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.6K
$32.26 UYU 1,297
-12.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Atlantida
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 141.1K
$62.0 UYU 2,491
-29.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.5K
$17.15 UYU 689
0.23%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$11.77 UYU 473
-41.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Atlantida
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$504 UYU 20.3K
58.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$6,644 UYU 267.0K
37.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Atlantida
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.5K
$74.6 UYU 2,998
13.58%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 187.2K
$74.4 UYU 2,988
-22.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.8K
$166 UYU 6,683
-18.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 316.0K
$116 UYU 4,658
-15.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Atlantida
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
$658 UYU 26.4K
83.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
$481 UYU 19.3K
33.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
$1,253 UYU 50.4K
61.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
$857 UYU 34.4K
18.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.5M
$2,030 UYU 81.6K
105.42%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
$1,523 UYU 61.2K
25.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Atlantida
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$514 UYU 20.6K
27.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
10
9.40%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Atlantida: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Atlantida
$481 25.1% $161
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Atlantida
$283 4.6% $14
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Atlantida
$143 32.4% $68
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Atlantida
$214 25.9% $44
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Atlantida
$194 14.8% $25
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Atlantida
$77 17.4% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Atlantida
$86 48.7% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $658 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 28% higher in Medellin. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $44 in Atlantida. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $283 – making Atlantida the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇺🇾 Atlantida
🕒 Local time
05:44 5:44 AM
07:44 7:44 AM
2 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
6,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

UYU, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,603 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 40.19 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 44.85 UYU (100 UYU = 2.23 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Atlantida 5,020 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Atlantida

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Atlantida cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 11%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $2,216 in Atlantida. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Atlantida, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $658 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Atlantida?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $44 in Atlantida. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Atlantida?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $1,477 in Atlantida. That makes Atlantida about 10% cheaper.
Is Medellin or Atlantida more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Atlantida – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Atlantida. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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