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 $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $878 in La Plata, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,477 in La Plata, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,076 in La Plata, rent included.

Medellin costs about 14% more than La Plata, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and La Plata are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, La Plata 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$12.04 ARS 18.0K

-50.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$28.46 ARS 42.6K

15.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$5.32 ARS 7,947

39.66%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$2.94 ARS 4,388

-43.88%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.77 ARS 1,151

42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.74 ARS 1,103

5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$1.01 ARS 1,514

70.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$3.88 ARS 5,807

-18.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.22 ARS 1,831

-9.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$1.66 ARS 2,482

-24.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.53 ARS 2,294

-9.80%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$2.18 ARS 3,257

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$7.43 ARS 11.1K

-39.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$5.54 ARS 8,286

4.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$8.37 ARS 12.5K

7.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$2.46 ARS 3,678

-5.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.91 ARS 2,861

-44.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.15 ARS 1,723

32.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$2.57 ARS 3,837

-47.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$0.76 ARS 1,142

48.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.11 ARS 1,655

5.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$1.87 ARS 2,802

-51.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$1.29 ARS 1,926

-30.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$2.95 ARS 4,417

-24.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$4.96 ARS 7,413

144.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$2.20 ARS 3,284

-45.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$3.09 ARS 4,618

-19.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.30 ARS 444

183.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$1.50 ARS 2,240

-5.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.85 ARS 1,272

129.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$6.13 ARS 9,167

28.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$0.93 ARS 1,386

6.45%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$25.2K ARS 37.7M

-30.27%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$28.8K ARS 43.1M

-6.97%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$35.12 ARS 52.5K

136.36%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$16.38 ARS 24.5K

-40.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$23.49 ARS 35.1K

0.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$21.97 ARS 32.8K

14.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$13.97 ARS 20.9K

36.72%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$6.78 ARS 10.1K

-41.74%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$324 ARS 485.0K

-2.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$5,210 ARS 7.8M

14.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$92.9 ARS 138.9K

-35.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$85.6 ARS 128.0K

-62.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$124 ARS 184.9K

-17.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$130 ARS 194.1K

-17.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$303 ARS 452.5K

56.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$186 ARS 277.5K

101.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$642 ARS 959.2K

32.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$505 ARS 754.4K

42.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$1,984 ARS 3.0M

64.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$1,452 ARS 2.2M

-0.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$662 ARS 989.5K

-5.66%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for La Plata: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $303 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 6% 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 – $193 in Medellin vs $215 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: $1,003 in Medellin, $878 in La Plata – roughly 14% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,317 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 11% 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 $878, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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 $878 in La Plata to $1,003 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.