Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and La Plata Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and La Plata

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $885 in La Plata, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,495 in La Plata, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,106 in La Plata, rent included.

Medellin costs about 15% more than La Plata, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and La Plata are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, La Plata 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$12.15 ARS 17.4K

-51.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$27.87 ARS 39.8K

19.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.10 ARS 7,281

41.76%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.08 ARS 4,405

-47.08%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.72 ARS 1,025

51.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.77 ARS 1,098

-5.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$0.97 ARS 1,388

79.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$4.09 ARS 5,846

-21.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.22 ARS 1,748

-13.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.58 ARS 2,256

-18.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.61 ARS 2,304

-18.01%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.22 ARS 3,173

2.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.51 ARS 10.7K

-42.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.60 ARS 8,001

5.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.02 ARS 11.5K

7.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.52 ARS 3,600

-10.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.90 ARS 2,709

-43.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.11 ARS 1,580

36.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.54 ARS 3,623

-44.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.77 ARS 1,102

51.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.16 ARS 1,662

0.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.86 ARS 2,662

-52.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.23 ARS 1,762

-26.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.94 ARS 4,197

-23.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$4.83 ARS 6,906

128.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.21 ARS 3,160

-48.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.19 ARS 4,558

-25.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.30 ARS 429

180.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.55 ARS 2,218

-9.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.85 ARS 1,214

123.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$6.03 ARS 8,613

28.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.00 ARS 1,430

1.00%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$25.3K ARS 36.2M

-30.55%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$28.8K ARS 41.2M

-8.03%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$35.43 ARS 50.6K

136.18%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$16.40 ARS 23.4K

-42.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$22.99 ARS 32.8K

4.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$22.14 ARS 31.6K

14.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$13.86 ARS 19.8K

38.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$7.10 ARS 10.1K

-42.25%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$331 ARS 473.2K

-5.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$5,132 ARS 7.3M

16.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$89.7 ARS 128.1K

-35.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$86.8 ARS 124.0K

-62.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$124 ARS 177.5K

-19.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$131 ARS 187.2K

-17.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$302 ARS 431.3K

59.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$184 ARS 262.7K

106.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$645 ARS 921.0K

29.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$509 ARS 727.5K

41.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,995 ARS 2.8M

42.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,461 ARS 2.1M

-16.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$656 ARS 936.6K

-17.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

52.71

-74.52%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for La Plata: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $302 in La Plata. 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 21% higher in La Plata, 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 $28.00 in La Plata. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $213 in La Plata – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 La Plata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,017 in Medellin, $885 in La Plata – roughly 15% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,327 in La Plata. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in La Plata, 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 $28.00 in La Plata. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in La Plata, where all-in costs run around $885, than in Medellin at $1,017. In La Plata it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $885 in La Plata to $1,017 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 La Plata. 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.