Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mendoza

For one person, living is cheaper in Mendoza: $1,361 a month against $1,589 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Medellin outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

77

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
67

Cost of Living Index in Mendoza
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Mendoza Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,589

/mo nomad

Mendoza

🇦🇷 Argentina

$1,361

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Mendoza

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Mendoza actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $1,361 in Mendoza, rent included.

Medellin $1,589
Mendoza $1,361

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $2,195 in Mendoza, rent included.

Medellin $2,364
Mendoza $2,195

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $3,029 in Mendoza, rent included.

Medellin $3,139
Mendoza $3,029

Medellin costs about 17% more than Mendoza, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Medellin and Mendoza sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Mendoza by 2%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.5K

$10.87 ARS 16.5K

-26.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 148.3K

$50.0 ARS 75.9K

-6.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.1K

$14.90 ARS 22.6K

-36.71%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,277

$4.55 ARS 6,901

-36.04%

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

$1.75 COP 5,585

$2.42 ARS 3,669

-27.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,218

$1.89 ARS 2,859

-30.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 9,969

$4.05 ARS 6,137

-22.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 17.7K

$4.60 ARS 6,973

20.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,495

$1.34 ARS 2,033

5.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,777

$2.27 ARS 3,438

7.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,191

$2.67 ARS 4,053

-38.95%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 8,990

$3.19 ARS 4,844

-11.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 30.9K

$14.61 ARS 22.2K

-33.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 29.7K

$6.30 ARS 9,560

47.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 42.9K

$10.95 ARS 16.6K

22.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 12.8K

$2.32 ARS 3,513

72.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,719

$2.14 ARS 3,245

-30.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,768

$1.34 ARS 2,039

58.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,178

$3.19 ARS 4,842

-29.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,092

$2.03 ARS 3,078

-5.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,160

$1.50 ARS 2,278

8.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,658

$1.94 ARS 2,946

-40.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,021

$2.51 ARS 3,807

-49.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.2K

$2.80 ARS 4,246

36.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 41.8K

$5.03 ARS 7,628

160.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,083

$1.79 ARS 2,712

-10.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,188

$2.93 ARS 4,447

-22.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,731

$0.97 ARS 1,473

20.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 239.0K

$19.83 ARS 30.1K

278.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,056

$2.05 ARS 3,113

-38.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,531

$1.02 ARS 1,541

100.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.1K

$5.04 ARS 7,644

62.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,046

$1.21 ARS 1,832

4.96%

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

$26.8K COP 85.3M

$26.7K ARS 40.4M

0.43%

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

$34.4K COP 109.6M

$33.2K ARS 50.4M

3.53%

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

$162 COP 516.9K

$143 ARS 217.3K

13.20%

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

$13.12 COP 41.8K

$17.59 ARS 26.7K

-25.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 89.5K

$24.39 ARS 37.0K

15.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 141.2K

$31.80 ARS 48.2K

39.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.0K

$17.99 ARS 27.3K

-9.23%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.4K

$7.16 ARS 10.9K

-14.94%

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

$764 COP 2.4M

$173 ARS 262.7K

341.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.4M

$4,150 ARS 6.3M

114.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 270.8K

$127 ARS 193.0K

-33.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 183.2K

$140 ARS 211.8K

-58.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 419.8K

$146 ARS 220.9K

-9.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 305.1K

$161 ARS 244.8K

-40.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$561 ARS 850.6K

83.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 1.9M

$340 ARS 515.9K

77.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.7M

$975 ARS 1.5M

84.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

$682 ARS 1.0M

45.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.5M

$1,699 ARS 2.6M

130.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.2M

$1,115 ARS 1.7M

46.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

$768 ARS 1.2M

-18.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-81.46%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Mendoza: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$604 38.3%

Mendoza

$340 24.7% 43.7% $264

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$288 18.3%

Mendoza

$285 20.7% 1.1% $3.1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$203 12.9%

Mendoza

$185 13.4% 8.9% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$166 10.6%

Mendoza

$258 18.7% 55.1% $92

Eating Out

Medellin

$166 10.6%

Mendoza

$233 16.9% 40% $67

Getting Around

Medellin

$91 5.8%

Mendoza

$31 2.2% 66.2% $60

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$57 3.6%

Mendoza

$46 3.3% 18.4% $10

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $561 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 23% higher in Mendoza, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin versus $50.0 in Mendoza. Groceries tell a different story – $288 in Medellin vs $285 in Mendoza – so Mendoza wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇦🇷 Mendoza

🕒 Local time

20:53 8:53 PM

22:53 10:53 PM

2 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

937,154

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Argentine Peso ARS $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.14 USD

10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR

10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD

10,000 ARS = 5.88 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ARS, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3,187 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,574 COP (10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR).

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,701 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.88 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Mendoza 4,410 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Mendoza

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 – Medellin is pricier by about 17%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,384 per month in Medellin and $2,042 in Mendoza. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mendoza, 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 $47.00 in Medellin and $50.0 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 $1,589 in Medellin and $1,361 in Mendoza. That's a gap of about 17%.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mendoza, where all-in costs run around $1,361, than in Medellin at $1,589. In Mendoza it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mendoza – 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 Mendoza. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.