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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,570 in Atlantida, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $2,548 in Atlantida, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $3,525 in Atlantida, rent included.

Medellin is about 34% cheaper than Atlantida, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Atlantida is 18% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$20.68 UYU 831

-70.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$61.7 UYU 2,480

-47.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$12.24 UYU 492

-40.03%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.56 UYU 143

-51.69%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.74 UYU 69.8

-39.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.02 UYU 41.10

-24.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.85 UYU 114

-40.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.47 UYU 139

-8.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.04 UYU 41.90

0.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$3.18 UYU 128

-59.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.42 UYU 57.1

-1.41%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$3.95 UYU 159

-45.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$13.25 UYU 532

-66.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$9.47 UYU 380

-37.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$10.38 UYU 417

-16.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.37 UYU 95.2

-3.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.26 UYU 90.9

-50.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.27 UYU 51.2

20.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.74 UYU 110

-50.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.68 UYU 67.4

-32.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.06 UYU 82.6

-45.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.16 UYU 46.66

-26.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.72 UYU 69.0

-47.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$4.84 UYU 195

-51.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$6.86 UYU 276

80.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.30 UYU 92.3

-47.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.50 UYU 100

-0.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$2.70 UYU 109

-68.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$45.79 UYU 1,840

-11.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.00 UYU 80.6

-29.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.51 UYU 60.9

27.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$17.52 UYU 704

-56.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.90 UYU 76.5

-47.89%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$39.0K UYU 1.6M

-53.74%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$37.6K UYU 1.5M

-29.23%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$85.3 UYU 3,428

-5.25%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$28.92 UYU 1,162

-65.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$31.70 UYU 1,274

-23.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$62.2 UYU 2,499

-59.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$17.21 UYU 692

11.27%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$11.71 UYU 471

-66.01%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$486 UYU 19.5K

-37.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$8,864 UYU 356.2K

-31.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$88.3 UYU 3,548

-34.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$42.99 UYU 1,728

-25.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$206 UYU 8,268

-51.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$121 UYU 4,846

-10.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$744 UYU 29.9K

-35.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$516 UYU 20.7K

-27.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,296 UYU 52.1K

-34.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$973 UYU 39.1K

-24.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,022 UYU 81.3K

58.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,522 UYU 61.1K

-9.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$527 UYU 21.2K

17.06%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Atlantida: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $744 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 17% higher in Medellin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $62.0 in Atlantida. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $291 – 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 52%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $2,356 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 $62.0 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $1,570 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 $1,031, than in Atlantida at $1,570. 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.