Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Maldonado Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Maldonado

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,299 in Maldonado.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $2,116 in Maldonado.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $2,933 in Maldonado.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 21% less than in Maldonado, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Maldonado 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$16.01 UYU 643

-61.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$54.5 UYU 2,190

-40.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$11.04 UYU 444

-33.51%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$4.19 UYU 168

-58.95%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$2.16 UYU 86.7

-51.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.71 UYU 68.8

-54.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.43 UYU 97.8

-30.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.65 UYU 147

-13.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.13 UYU 45.31

-7.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.79 UYU 112

-53.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.60 UYU 64.3

-12.50%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$4.75 UYU 191

-54.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$13.69 UYU 550

-67.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$10.71 UYU 430

-45.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$10.87 UYU 437

-20.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.20 UYU 88.5

3.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.40 UYU 96.6

-53.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.54 UYU 62.1

-0.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$3.49 UYU 140

-61.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.79 UYU 71.8

-36.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.96 UYU 78.8

-42.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.24 UYU 49.67

-31.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.59 UYU 64.0

-42.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$5.29 UYU 213

-55.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.04 UYU 323

53.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.96 UYU 78.7

-38.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.67 UYU 107

-6.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.38 UYU 55.3

-39.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$44.18 UYU 1,776

-8.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.44 UYU 57.8

-1.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.09 UYU 84.1

-8.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$11.21 UYU 450

-31.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.83 UYU 73.4

-45.90%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$34.6K UYU 1.4M

-47.90%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$36.6K UYU 1.5M

-27.19%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$155 UYU 6,218

-47.77%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$16.47 UYU 662

-39.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$42.44 UYU 1,705

-43.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$46.40 UYU 1,865

-45.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$29.58 UYU 1,189

-35.26%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$7.91 UYU 318

-49.68%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$492 UYU 19.8K

-37.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$7,401 UYU 297.4K

-18.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$86.6 UYU 3,479

-32.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$47.65 UYU 1,915

-32.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$88.5 UYU 3,557

13.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$93.1 UYU 3,743

15.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$370 UYU 14.9K

28.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$282 UYU 11.3K

33.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$886 UYU 35.6K

-4.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$620 UYU 24.9K

17.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,511 UYU 60.7K

112.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,306 UYU 52.5K

5.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$861 UYU 34.6K

-28.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.68

136.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Maldonado: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $370 in Maldonado. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Maldonado pays 40% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $54.0 in Maldonado for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $305 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Maldonado: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Maldonado differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $1,299 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 40% lower in Maldonado. 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 $370 in Maldonado. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $492 in Maldonado. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 58% higher in Maldonado. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,299 in Maldonado, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Maldonado. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin 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 Maldonado 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Maldonado. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.