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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $855 in Mar del Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,426 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,997 in Mar del Plata.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Mar del Plata 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$9.39 ARS 13.4K

-36.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$38.16 ARS 54.5K

-12.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.07 ARS 11.5K

-10.41%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.47 ARS 3,529

-34.01%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$2.17 ARS 3,094

-49.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$2.12 ARS 3,033

-65.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$3.28 ARS 4,687

-46.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.30 ARS 4,721

-2.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.06 ARS 1,510

-0.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.43 ARS 2,049

-9.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.16 ARS 3,082

-38.89%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.58 ARS 2,261

43.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$6.84 ARS 9,772

-36.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.35 ARS 7,639

9.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.74 ARS 11.1K

11.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.76 ARS 3,946

-18.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.13 ARS 3,036

-49.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.50 ARS 2,140

1.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.53 ARS 3,618

-43.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.28 ARS 1,829

-8.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.96 ARS 1,370

21.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.62 ARS 885

43.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.21 ARS 1,725

-25.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.49 ARS 4,979

-35.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$3.08 ARS 4,399

258.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.33 ARS 1,904

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.96 ARS 2,805

21.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.75 ARS 1,076

12.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$9.94 ARS 14.2K

322.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.46 ARS 2,089

-3.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.74 ARS 1,051

156.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$7.84 ARS 11.2K

-1.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.10 ARS 1,570

-8.18%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$27.3K ARS 38.9M

-35.52%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$39.0K ARS 55.7M

-32.04%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$85.4 ARS 122.0K

-1.99%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$10.27 ARS 14.7K

-7.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$25.40 ARS 36.3K

-5.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$17.28 ARS 24.7K

46.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$7.86 ARS 11.2K

143.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$3.98 ARS 5,686

3.02%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$162 ARS 232.1K

91.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$3,242 ARS 4.6M

84.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$56.5 ARS 80.7K

2.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$62.4 ARS 89.1K

-47.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$64.2 ARS 91.7K

55.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$62.9 ARS 89.9K

72.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$285 ARS 406.9K

69.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$206 ARS 294.8K

83.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$718 ARS 1.0M

16.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$582 ARS 831.8K

24.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$618 ARS 882.5K

-12.45%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $285 in Mar del Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mar del Plata pays 14% 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 $38.00 in Mar del Plata for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $195 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 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.

On paper, Mar del Plata earns 14% less. 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: $482 in Medellin versus $285 in Mar del Plata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $855 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 322% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $855 in Mar del Plata versus $1,017 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 $855 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.