😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $838 in Mar del Plata.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,425 in Mar del Plata.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $2,011 in Mar del Plata.
😐Living in Medellin is roughly 23% more expensive than Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin23% lower, Mar del Plata37% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Mar del Plata
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92COP 21.4K
$9.87ARS 13.8K
-40.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.75COP 118.2K
$36.84ARS 51.4K
-11.10%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.20COP 26.0K
$8.28ARS 11.5K
-13.04%
Cappuccino
$1.70COP 6,140
$2.42ARS 3,371
-29.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,966
$2.20ARS 3,069
-50.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72COP 2,605
$2.05ARS 2,865
-64.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.67COP 6,022
$3.20ARS 4,462
-47.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10COP 11.2K
$3.31ARS 4,622
-6.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Mar del Plata
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06COP 3,809
$1.11ARS 1,545
-4.50%
White Bread(500g)
$1.25COP 4,497
$1.42ARS 1,982
-11.97%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.39COP 5,022
$2.08ARS 2,909
-33.17%
Eggs
$2.26COP 8,168
$1.49ARS 2,085
51.68%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.33COP 15.6K
$6.73ARS 9,388
-35.66%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.84COP 21.1K
$5.33ARS 7,438
9.57%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.83COP 31.9K
$7.45ARS 10.4K
18.52%
Apples(1kg)
$2.24COP 8,099
$2.72ARS 3,794
-17.65%
Banana(1kg)
$1.08COP 3,882
$2.12ARS 2,959
-49.06%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53COP 5,522
$1.51ARS 2,102
1.32%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.37COP 4,950
$2.52ARS 3,519
-45.63%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 4,078
$1.29ARS 1,793
-12.40%
Onion(1kg)
$1.12COP 4,036
$1.00ARS 1,389
12.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.85COP 3,057
$0.63ARS 873
34.92%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91COP 3,281
$1.20ARS 1,681
-24.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33COP 8,414
$3.54ARS 4,941
-34.18%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.13COP 40.2K
$4.94ARS 6,896
125.30%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 4,309
$1.34ARS 1,874
-11.19%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37COP 8,553
$1.95ARS 2,722
21.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Mar del Plata
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.79COP 2,838
$0.76ARS 1,060
3.95%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.13COP 148.5K
$9.90ARS 13.8K
315.45%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.44COP 5,184
$1.53ARS 2,139
-5.88%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.91COP 6,901
$0.77ARS 1,069
148.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.02COP 28.9K
$7.91ARS 11.0K
1.39%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.94COP 3,385
$1.13ARS 1,580
-16.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9KCOP 64.7M
$27.9KARS 38.9M
-35.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 96.7M
$40.2KARS 56.0M
-33.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Mar del Plata
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0COP 303.1K
$83.7ARS 116.8K
0.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.60COP 34.7K
$10.36ARS 14.5K
-7.34%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.16COP 87.2K
$25.20ARS 35.2K
-4.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Mar del Plata
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.88COP 93.4K
$17.02ARS 23.8K
52.06%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04COP 68.7K
$7.93ARS 11.1K
140.10%
Cinema Ticket
$3.92COP 14.1K
$3.89ARS 5,431
0.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Mar del Plata
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306COP 1.1M
$159ARS 221.8K
92.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,919COP 21.4M
$3,227ARS 4.5M
83.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Mar del Plata
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9COP 209.1K
$55.5ARS 77.4K
4.36%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 114.9K
$61.7ARS 86.1K
-48.46%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.9COP 360.6K
$63.9ARS 89.1K
56.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 386.8K
$63.6ARS 88.7K
68.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Mar del Plata
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$487COP 1.8M
$281ARS 391.5K
73.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$368COP 1.3M
$206ARS 287.4K
78.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$826COP 3.0M
$734ARS 1.0M
12.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$716COP 2.6M
$575ARS 802.1K
24.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,925COP 10.6M
$2,203ARS 3.1M
32.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,407COP 5.1M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Mar del Plata
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$546COP 2.0M
$604ARS 842.6K
-9.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
58.5
-77.04%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Medellin: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Mar del Plata: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $281 in Mar del Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Mar del Plata pays 11% 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 $37.00 in Mar del Plata for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $197 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Medellin vs Mar del Plata: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Mar del Plata?
Mar del Plata wins on cost – living expenses run 23% 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.
Are salaries higher in Medellin or Mar del Plata?
On paper, Mar del Plata earns 11% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Medellin vs Mar del Plata?
Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $281 in Mar del Plata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Medellin compared to Mar del Plata?
All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $838 in Mar del Plata – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Medellin vs Mar del Plata?
A monthly transit pass in Mar del Plata runs roughly 315% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Medellin or Mar del Plata?
At $838 in Mar del Plata versus $1,034 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.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Medellin or Mar del Plata?
Both work as nomad bases, but Mar del Plata delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $838 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mar del Plata hard to pass up.
How safe is Medellin compared to Mar del Plata?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Mar del Plata gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Medellin vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado