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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,069 in Mendoza, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,723 in Mendoza, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,378 in Mendoza, rent included.

Medellin is about 4% cheaper than Mendoza, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Mendoza are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Mendoza 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.0K

$10.93 ARS 16.2K

-43.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.0K

$41.47 ARS 61.3K

-21.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$9.60 ARS 14.2K

-23.54%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,592

$3.79 ARS 5,601

-54.62%

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

$1.05 COP 3,416

$2.32 ARS 3,424

-54.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,511

$1.98 ARS 2,925

-61.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,480

$1.94 ARS 2,875

-12.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.93 ARS 4,337

8.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,418

$1.29 ARS 1,906

-18.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,230

$1.48 ARS 2,183

-12.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,538

$2.03 ARS 2,996

-31.03%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,037

$2.12 ARS 3,137

1.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.73 ARS 17.3K

-62.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.69 ARS 11.4K

-23.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.46 ARS 14.0K

-8.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,415

$2.01 ARS 2,974

13.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,599

$1.53 ARS 2,255

-27.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,976

$1.51 ARS 2,236

1.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,405

$2.18 ARS 3,229

-38.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,669

$1.01 ARS 1,497

11.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,687

$1.03 ARS 1,517

9.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,749

$1.02 ARS 1,515

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,971

$2.62 ARS 3,878

-65.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,619

$2.44 ARS 3,613

-4.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.2K

$5.10 ARS 7,544

142.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,904

$1.95 ARS 2,883

-38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,094

$3.56 ARS 5,266

-30.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,724

$0.69 ARS 1,018

21.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 131.9K

$18.28 ARS 27.0K

121.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,617

$0.41 ARS 605

246.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,227

$1.02 ARS 1,506

88.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.85 ARS 7,170

57.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,219

$1.19 ARS 1,761

-16.81%

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

$18.0K COP 58.6M

$31.6K ARS 46.7M

-42.99%

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

$26.6K COP 86.6M

$33.0K ARS 48.8M

-19.33%

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

$80.8 COP 262.7K

$76.0 ARS 112.3K

6.34%

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

$9.95 COP 32.3K

$17.52 ARS 25.9K

-43.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.6K

$21.72 ARS 32.1K

11.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.5K

$27.75 ARS 41.0K

-9.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$16.19 ARS 23.9K

18.28%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.10 ARS 9,021

-34.75%

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

$305 COP 992.2K

$102 ARS 150.4K

199.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$2,172 ARS 3.2M

178.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.0K

$80.9 ARS 119.6K

-28.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.7K

$77.5 ARS 114.6K

-58.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.5K

$147 ARS 217.8K

-31.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.3K

$120 ARS 177.4K

-10.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.5M

$363 ARS 536.4K

31.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$270 ARS 398.9K

39.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$609 ARS 899.8K

38.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$502 ARS 741.9K

45.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,705 ARS 2.5M

88.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,121 ARS 1.7M

22.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$722 ARS 1.1M

-14.57%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mendoza: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $363 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 17% 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 $41.00 in Mendoza. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $250 – 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 4%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,603 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 $41.00 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $1,069 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 $1,031, than in Mendoza at $1,069. 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.