Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mar del Plata Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mar del Plata

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $844 in Mar del Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,417 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,991 in Mar del Plata.

Living in Medellin is roughly 19% more expensive than in Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Mar del Plata 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$9.53 ARS 14.1K

-37.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$37.25 ARS 55.3K

-11.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$8.17 ARS 12.1K

-9.06%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.41 ARS 3,579

-31.54%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$2.18 ARS 3,238

-49.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$2.05 ARS 3,051

-61.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$3.34 ARS 4,959

-48.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.19 ARS 4,732

-0.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.05 ARS 1,559

4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.38 ARS 2,050

-8.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.06 ARS 3,064

-33.01%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.52 ARS 2,264

43.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.93 ARS 10.3K

-35.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$5.22 ARS 7,758

10.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$7.47 ARS 11.1K

20.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.74 ARS 4,063

-15.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.17 ARS 3,222

-51.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.55 ARS 2,302

-1.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.45 ARS 3,637

-44.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.22 ARS 1,815

-7.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.95 ARS 1,408

23.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.63 ARS 939

42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.20 ARS 1,784

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.48 ARS 5,166

-35.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$2.95 ARS 4,377

310.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.39 ARS 2,068

-14.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.98 ARS 2,947

25.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.76 ARS 1,129

11.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$9.94 ARS 14.8K

318.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.49 ARS 2,212

-4.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.76 ARS 1,129

156.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$8.18 ARS 12.1K

-3.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.15 ARS 1,710

-13.91%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$28.2K ARS 41.9M

-37.69%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$38.9K ARS 57.8M

-31.16%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$85.2 ARS 126.6K

-2.60%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$10.11 ARS 15.0K

-4.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$25.00 ARS 37.1K

-5.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$17.57 ARS 26.1K

43.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$7.84 ARS 11.6K

143.62%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$4.10 ARS 6,083

-3.66%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$159 ARS 236.8K

98.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$3,177 ARS 4.7M

88.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$56.7 ARS 84.2K

5.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$61.5 ARS 91.3K

-48.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$65.0 ARS 96.5K

56.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$62.7 ARS 93.1K

71.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$283 ARS 419.6K

68.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$202 ARS 299.3K

85.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$726 ARS 1.1M

16.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$585 ARS 868.7K

22.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$616 ARS 915.1K

1.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

58.5

-77.04%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $283 in Mar del Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 1% 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 $37.00 in Mar del Plata. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $192, with Mar del Plata 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 Mar del Plata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mar del Plata wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mar del Plata the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $283 in Mar del Plata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $844 in Mar del Plata – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mar del Plata runs roughly 319% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $844 in Mar del Plata versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mar del Plata but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Mar del Plata the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mar del Plata delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $844 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mar del Plata hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Mar del Plata 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 Mar del Plata gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.