Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lomas de Zamora Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lomas de Zamora

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $983 in Lomas de Zamora.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,586 in Lomas de Zamora.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $2,190 in Lomas de Zamora.

Living in Medellin is roughly 5% more expensive than in Lomas de Zamora, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Lomas de Zamora 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$8.83 ARS 13.0K

-30.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$30.34 ARS 44.8K

7.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

-20.65%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.03 ARS 2,996

-15.27%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.95 ARS 2,880

-46.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.54 ARS 2,273

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$3.70 ARS 5,470

-54.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.99 ARS 5,893

-20.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.27 ARS 1,870

-17.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.98 ARS 2,932

-34.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.01 ARS 2,974

-30.35%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$2.47 ARS 3,647

-12.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$12.23 ARS 18.1K

-64.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.84 ARS 8,627

0.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.30 ARS 13.7K

-7.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$2.56 ARS 3,780

-10.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$2.18 ARS 3,222

-49.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.25 ARS 1,848

22.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.69 ARS 3,971

-49.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.49 ARS 2,198

-24.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.38 ARS 2,041

-18.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.01 ARS 1,498

-15.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.79 ARS 2,648

-49.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$3.30 ARS 4,879

-29.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$5.76 ARS 8,516

114.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.30 ARS 1,915

-7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.16 ARS 4,671

-21.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.83 ARS 1,226

1.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$30.41 ARS 45.0K

33.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.64 ARS 2,423

-13.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.86 ARS 1,275

123.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.07 ARS 8,972

26.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.12 ARS 1,661

-11.61%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$24.1K ARS 35.6M

-25.21%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$25.6K ARS 37.8M

4.14%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$56.3 ARS 83.2K

43.53%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$18.31 ARS 27.1K

-45.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$15.11 ARS 22.3K

60.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$26.40 ARS 39.0K

-5.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$13.52 ARS 20.0K

41.64%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$8.75 ARS 12.9K

-54.51%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$304 ARS 448.8K

0.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,523 ARS 5.2M

71.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$62.1 ARS 91.7K

-6.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$60.9 ARS 90.0K

-47.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$109 ARS 160.8K

-7.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$94.8 ARS 140.1K

13.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$343 ARS 507.5K

38.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$234 ARS 345.7K

60.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$680 ARS 1.0M

24.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$535 ARS 790.8K

36.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,251 ARS 3.3M

42.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,544 ARS 2.3M

-11.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$708 ARS 1.0M

-12.83%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Lomas de Zamora: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $343 in Lomas de Zamora. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lomas de Zamora pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $30.00 in Lomas de Zamora. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $246, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 Lomas de Zamora: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Lomas de Zamora differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $983 including rent). Lomas de Zamora is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Lomas de Zamora. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $343 in Lomas de Zamora. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lomas de Zamora – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $983 in Lomas de Zamora – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $983 in Lomas de Zamora versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lomas de Zamora but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Lomas de Zamora the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Lomas de Zamora are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lomas de Zamora gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.