Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cordoba Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cordoba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,200 in Cordoba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,853 in Cordoba, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,507 in Cordoba, rent included.

Medellin is about 16% cheaper than Cordoba, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Cordoba are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Cordoba 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$10.09 ARS 14.4K

-40.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$45.36 ARS 64.7K

-27.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$9.85 ARS 14.1K

-28.02%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.20 ARS 3,133

-22.27%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.62 ARS 2,313

-32.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$1.52 ARS 2,167

-48.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.24 ARS 3,194

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.02 ARS 4,310

1.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.62 ARS 2,315

-32.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$2.43 ARS 3,472

-48.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.01 ARS 2,871

-31.34%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.36 ARS 3,360

-7.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.37 ARS 13.4K

-53.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.31 ARS 8,998

-10.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$9.27 ARS 13.2K

-4.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.88 ARS 2,687

24.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.15 ARS 3,068

-50.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.28 ARS 1,821

17.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$2.61 ARS 3,726

-47.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.20 ARS 1,716

-4.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.28 ARS 1,824

-9.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.55 ARS 2,216

-42.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.67 ARS 2,389

-49.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.46 ARS 3,510

-7.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$5.12 ARS 7,305

107.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.11 ARS 3,008

-43.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.96 ARS 4,224

-16.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.99 ARS 1,408

-13.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$56.7 ARS 80.9K

-26.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.10 ARS 1,568

33.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.98 ARS 1,396

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.10 ARS 8,706

26.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.08 ARS 1,547

-12.04%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$26.9K ARS 38.3M

-32.52%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$35.3K ARS 50.4M

-25.06%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$95.7 ARS 136.5K

-14.05%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$17.17 ARS 24.5K

-44.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$26.83 ARS 38.3K

-9.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$24.72 ARS 35.3K

4.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$23.18 ARS 33.1K

-18.03%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$8.18 ARS 11.7K

-51.96%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$185 ARS 263.6K

67.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$2,189 ARS 3.1M

172.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$125 ARS 178.6K

-53.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$84.8 ARS 121.0K

-61.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$129 ARS 183.8K

-20.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$132 ARS 188.6K

-17.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$432 ARS 616.7K

10.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$311 ARS 443.3K

21.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$759 ARS 1.1M

10.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$572 ARS 815.5K

26.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$2,362 ARS 3.4M

18.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,380 ARS 2.0M

-12.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$667 ARS 951.4K

-23.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

58.5

-77.04%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cordoba: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $432 in Cordoba. 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 30% higher in Cordoba, 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 $45.00 in Cordoba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $245 – 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 Cordoba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cordoba is pricier by about 18%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,800 in Cordoba. 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 $45.00 in Cordoba. 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 $1,200 in Cordoba. 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 Cordoba at $1,200. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cordoba 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, Cordoba makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.