Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cordoba

For one person, living is cheaper in Cordoba: $1,351 a month against $1,589 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Medellin outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

77

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
67

Cost of Living Index in Cordoba
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Cordoba Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,589

/mo nomad

Cordoba

🇦🇷 Argentina

$1,351

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Cordoba

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 Cordoba actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $1,351 in Cordoba, rent included.

Medellin $1,589
Cordoba $1,351

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $2,281 in Cordoba, rent included.

Medellin $2,364
Cordoba $2,281

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $3,211 in Cordoba, rent included.

Medellin $3,139
Cordoba $3,211

Medellin costs about 18% more than Cordoba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Cordoba sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Cordoba by 1%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.5K

$13.74 ARS 20.8K

-41.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 148.3K

$53.3 ARS 80.8K

-12.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.1K

$13.21 ARS 20.0K

-28.61%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,277

$3.70 ARS 5,609

-21.35%

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

$1.75 COP 5,585

$2.56 ARS 3,880

-31.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,218

$2.03 ARS 3,074

-34.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 9,969

$3.36 ARS 5,099

-6.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 17.7K

$3.64 ARS 5,517

52.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,495

$1.63 ARS 2,470

-13.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,777

$2.82 ARS 4,283

-13.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,191

$2.06 ARS 3,121

-20.87%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 8,990

$2.45 ARS 3,722

15.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 30.9K

$10.14 ARS 15.4K

-4.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 29.7K

$8.19 ARS 12.4K

13.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 42.9K

$11.48 ARS 17.4K

17.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 12.8K

$2.56 ARS 3,886

56.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,719

$2.30 ARS 3,490

-35.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,768

$1.66 ARS 2,511

27.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,178

$2.75 ARS 4,170

-18.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,092

$1.17 ARS 1,780

63.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,160

$1.35 ARS 2,041

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,658

$1.26 ARS 1,908

-8.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,021

$1.68 ARS 2,554

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.2K

$4.99 ARS 7,564

-23.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 41.8K

$4.86 ARS 7,368

169.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,083

$2.26 ARS 3,433

-29.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,188

$3.66 ARS 5,554

-38.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,731

$1.27 ARS 1,931

-7.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 239.0K

$57.3 ARS 86.9K

30.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,056

$1.28 ARS 1,947

-0.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,531

$1.94 ARS 2,945

5.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.1K

$7.12 ARS 10.8K

15.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,046

$1.16 ARS 1,761

9.48%

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

$26.8K COP 85.3M

$35.0K ARS 53.1M

-23.51%

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

$34.4K COP 109.6M

$36.1K ARS 54.7M

-4.61%

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

$162 COP 516.9K

$159 ARS 241.3K

1.95%

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

$13.12 COP 41.8K

$17.46 ARS 26.5K

-24.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 89.5K

$32.30 ARS 49.0K

-13.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 141.2K

$28.56 ARS 43.3K

55.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.0K

$23.34 ARS 35.4K

-30.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.4K

$10.11 ARS 15.3K

-39.76%

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

$764 COP 2.4M

$218 ARS 331.0K

250.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.4M

$4,151 ARS 6.3M

114.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 270.8K

$127 ARS 192.7K

-33.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 183.2K

$103 ARS 156.9K

-44.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 419.8K

$141 ARS 213.2K

-6.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 305.1K

$134 ARS 202.9K

-28.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$489 ARS 741.9K

110.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 1.9M

$306 ARS 464.6K

97.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.7M

$1,001 ARS 1.5M

79.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

$792 ARS 1.2M

25.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.5M

$2,762 ARS 4.2M

41.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.2M

$1,591 ARS 2.4M

2.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

$656 ARS 994.5K

-4.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

48.5

-77.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Cordoba: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$604 38.3%

Cordoba

$306 22.3% 49.3% $298

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$288 18.3%

Cordoba

$275 20% 4.6% $13

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$203 12.9%

Cordoba

$209 15.2% 2.7% $5.4

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$166 10.6%

Cordoba

$227 16.5% 36.5% $61

Eating Out

Medellin

$166 10.6%

Cordoba

$236 17.2% 42.1% $70

Getting Around

Medellin

$91 5.8%

Cordoba

$73 5.3% 19.6% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$57 3.6%

Cordoba

$49 3.6% 13.6% $7.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $489 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 5% higher in Cordoba, 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $53.0 in Cordoba. Groceries tell a different story – $288 in Medellin vs $275 in Cordoba – so Cordoba wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇦🇷 Cordoba

🕒 Local time

20:11 8:11 PM

22:11 10:11 PM

2 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

1,655,481

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Argentine Peso ARS $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.14 USD

10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR

10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD

10,000 ARS = 5.88 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ARS, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3,187 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,574 COP (10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR).

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,701 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.88 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Cordoba 4,360 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Cordoba

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 Cordoba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 18%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,384 per month in Medellin and $2,027 in Cordoba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cordoba, 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 $47.00 in Medellin and $53.0 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 $1,589 in Medellin and $1,351 in Cordoba. That's a gap of about 18%.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cordoba, where all-in costs run around $1,351, than in Medellin at $1,589. In Cordoba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cordoba – 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 Cordoba. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.