Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mendoza Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mendoza

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,075 in Mendoza, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,730 in Mendoza, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,385 in Mendoza, rent included.

Medellin is about 6% cheaper than Mendoza, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Mendoza are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Mendoza 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$10.84 ARS 15.5K

-44.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$41.73 ARS 59.5K

-21.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$9.70 ARS 13.8K

-26.91%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.69 ARS 5,262

-53.66%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$2.24 ARS 3,193

-50.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$2.06 ARS 2,938

-62.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.02 ARS 2,884

-16.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.93 ARS 4,187

4.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.27 ARS 1,808

-14.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.49 ARS 2,128

-15.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.97 ARS 2,816

-29.95%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.21 ARS 3,146

-0.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$11.57 ARS 16.5K

-61.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.37 ARS 10.5K

-23.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$9.56 ARS 13.6K

-7.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.01 ARS 2,872

16.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.54 ARS 2,191

-31.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.47 ARS 2,092

2.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$2.09 ARS 2,985

-33.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.97 ARS 1,391

18.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.01 ARS 1,442

14.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.02 ARS 1,459

-12.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$2.74 ARS 3,911

-69.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.45 ARS 3,493

-6.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$5.09 ARS 7,255

109.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.97 ARS 2,814

-39.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$3.47 ARS 4,951

-28.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.73 ARS 1,035

17.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$18.74 ARS 26.7K

120.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.41 ARS 587

258.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.02 ARS 1,455

92.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$4.93 ARS 7,036

57.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.20 ARS 1,712

-20.83%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$31.7K ARS 45.2M

-42.76%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$33.2K ARS 47.4M

-20.32%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$77.6 ARS 110.7K

5.99%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$17.56 ARS 25.1K

-45.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$21.55 ARS 30.7K

12.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$27.98 ARS 39.9K

-7.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$16.31 ARS 23.3K

16.49%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.10 ARS 8,697

-35.57%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$103 ARS 147.6K

199.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$2,124 ARS 3.0M

180.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$81.1 ARS 115.8K

-27.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$75.6 ARS 107.8K

-57.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$150 ARS 214.5K

-31.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$119 ARS 169.8K

-8.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$353 ARS 504.0K

34.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$274 ARS 391.0K

38.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$611 ARS 871.9K

37.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$502 ARS 716.5K

44.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,691 ARS 2.4M

65.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,127 ARS 1.6M

7.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$725 ARS 1.0M

-29.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-83.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mendoza: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $353 in Mendoza. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 42% higher in Mendoza, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $42.00 in Mendoza. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $249 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Mendoza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mendoza is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,612 in Mendoza. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $42.00 in Mendoza. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $1,075 in Mendoza. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Mendoza at $1,075. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mendoza it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mendoza makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.