Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and La Plata

For one person, living is cheaper in La Plata: $959 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
47

Cost of Living Index in La Plata
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La Plata Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,614

/mo nomad

La Plata

🇦🇷 Argentina

$959

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in La Plata

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

A single person spends $1,614 per month in Medellin vs $959 in La Plata, rent included.

Medellin $1,614
La Plata $959

A couple spends around $2,402 per month in Medellin vs $1,711 in La Plata, rent included.

Medellin $2,402
La Plata $1,711

A family of three spends $3,190 per month in Medellin vs $2,464 in La Plata, rent included.

Medellin $3,190
La Plata $2,464

Medellin costs about 68% more than La Plata, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while La Plata is 29% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.93 COP 25.3K

$15.43 ARS 23.4K

-48.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.13 COP 147.4K

$49.89 ARS 75.7K

-7.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.4K

$9.82 ARS 14.9K

-3.26%

Cappuccino

$3.11 COP 9,940

$3.84 ARS 5,826

-19.01%

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

$1.83 COP 5,843

$1.54 ARS 2,342

18.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 COP 4,393

$0.91 ARS 1,385

51.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 COP 9,744

$4.04 ARS 6,121

-24.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 COP 17.6K

$3.60 ARS 5,455

52.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 COP 4,634

$1.04 ARS 1,579

39.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 COP 7,552

$2.18 ARS 3,301

8.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 COP 5,368

$0.88 ARS 1,327

90.91%

Eggs

$2.86 COP 9,145

$2.23 ARS 3,385

28.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.5K

$9.00 ARS 13.7K

13.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 COP 30.4K

$5.40 ARS 8,182

76.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 COP 44.8K

$9.44 ARS 14.3K

48.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 COP 13.0K

$2.08 ARS 3,155

95.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,778

$1.94 ARS 2,941

-22.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 COP 6,943

$0.74 ARS 1,121

193.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 COP 7,365

$1.55 ARS 2,355

49.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 COP 6,159

$0.52 ARS 789

271.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 COP 5,235

$0.60 ARS 916

173.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 COP 3,597

$1.01 ARS 1,534

11.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,984

$1.01 ARS 1,537

23.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 COP 12.7K

$3.23 ARS 4,900

23.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 COP 42.6K

$4.99 ARS 7,573

167.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 COP 5,424

$2.09 ARS 3,176

-18.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 7,581

$2.83 ARS 4,285

-16.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 COP 3,856

$0.73 ARS 1,107

65.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.5 COP 244.3K

$4.59 ARS 6,961

1566.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 COP 4,211

$1.55 ARS 2,350

-14.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 COP 6,825

$0.67 ARS 1,020

219.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.47 COP 27.0K

$7.76 ARS 11.8K

9.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,145

$1.16 ARS 1,755

12.07%

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

$28.0K COP 89.4M

$22.0K ARS 33.4M

27.13%

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

$35.4K COP 113.1M

$34.5K ARS 52.4M

2.56%

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

$172 COP 549.7K

$70.9 ARS 107.6K

142.62%

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

$13.37 COP 42.7K

$11.14 ARS 16.9K

20.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.73 COP 91.8K

$24.13 ARS 36.6K

19.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.24 COP 144.5K

$26.16 ARS 39.7K

72.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.04 COP 54.4K

$10.80 ARS 16.4K

57.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 COP 20.1K

$5.36 ARS 8,121

17.16%

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

$770 COP 2.5M

$138 ARS 209.5K

457.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,011 COP 28.8M

$4,189 ARS 6.4M

115.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 COP 276.0K

$108 ARS 163.1K

-19.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 COP 182.5K

$20.87 ARS 31.6K

173.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 436.2K

$94.5 ARS 143.3K

44.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 312.8K

$54.1 ARS 82.0K

81.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 COP 3.4M

$346 ARS 524.8K

204.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 COP 2.0M

$238 ARS 361.1K

158.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,892 COP 6.0M

$1,207 ARS 1.8M

56.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 COP 3.3M

$758 ARS 1.1M

34.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,059 COP 13.0M

$2,009 ARS 3.0M

102.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,678 COP 5.4M

$1,190 ARS 1.8M

41.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 COP 2.1M

$716 ARS 1.1M

-8.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-73.95%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Last update for La Plata: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$616 38.2%

La Plata

$238 24.8% 61.3% $378

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$295 18.3%

La Plata

$205 21.4% 30.5% $90

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$214 13.3%

La Plata

$106 11.1% 50.4% $108

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$170 10.5%

La Plata

$125 13% 26.7% $45

Eating Out

Medellin

$168 10.4%

La Plata

$236 24.6% 40.3% $68

Getting Around

Medellin

$93 5.8%

La Plata

$12 1.3% 86.7% $81

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.6%

La Plata

$37 3.8% 36.2% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,055 in Medellin versus $346 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 10% 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 $46.00 in Medellin versus $50.0 in La Plata. Groceries tell a different story – $295 in Medellin vs $205 in La Plata – so La Plata wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇦🇷 La Plata

🕒 Local time

08:55 8:55 AM

10:55 10:55 AM

2 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

193,144

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Argentine Peso ARS $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.13 USD

10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR

10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD

10,000 ARS = 5.91 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 13, 2026: 1 USD = 3,194 COP (10,000 COP = 3.13 USD). 1 EUR = 3,566 COP (10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR).

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,693 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.91 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin La Plata 4,940 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
La Plata

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 La Plata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,614 in Medellin, $959 in La Plata – roughly 68% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,421 per month in Medellin and $1,439 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 $46.00 in Medellin and $50.0 in La Plata. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,614 in Medellin and $959 in La Plata. That's a gap of about 68%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in La Plata, where all-in costs run around $959, than in Medellin at $1,614. 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 $959 in La Plata to $1,614 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.