Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mercedes Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mercedes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,330 in Mercedes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,006 in Mercedes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,682 in Mercedes, rent included.

Medellin is about 24% cheaper than Mercedes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Mercedes are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Mercedes 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$15.91 UYU 641

-62.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$54.0 UYU 2,173

-39.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$12.14 UYU 489

-41.60%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$4.25 UYU 171

-59.76%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$2.18 UYU 88.0

-49.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$1.68 UYU 67.6

-53.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$4.37 UYU 176

-61.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$3.61 UYU 145

-14.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.21 UYU 48.84

-9.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$2.75 UYU 111

-54.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.41 UYU 56.7

-2.13%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.74 UYU 110

-20.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$13.51 UYU 544

-67.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$10.80 UYU 435

-47.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$7.38 UYU 297

20.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.90 UYU 76.5

23.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.39 UYU 96.2

-55.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.11 UYU 44.79

35.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$2.85 UYU 115

-51.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$2.02 UYU 81.4

-43.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.88 UYU 75.8

-38.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.36 UYU 54.8

-34.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.68 UYU 67.8

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$4.90 UYU 197

-53.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$9.91 UYU 399

7.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$2.35 UYU 94.8

-48.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.90 UYU 117

-14.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$1.18 UYU 47.69

-27.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$43.25 UYU 1,742

-4.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.44 UYU 58.2

2.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.57 UYU 63.2

24.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$10.81 UYU 435

-28.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.81 UYU 72.7

-47.51%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$33.6K UYU 1.4M

-46.03%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$36.5K UYU 1.5M

-27.41%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$173 UYU 6,959

-52.40%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$16.62 UYU 669

-42.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$49.63 UYU 1,999

-51.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$10.34 UYU 416

-61.99%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$484 UYU 19.5K

-36.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$8,751 UYU 352.4K

-31.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$96.1 UYU 3,871

-38.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$47.43 UYU 1,910

-31.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$112 UYU 4,504

-8.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$123 UYU 4,958

-11.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$552 UYU 22.2K

-13.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$297 UYU 11.9K

27.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$617 UYU 24.9K

35.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$437 UYU 17.6K

65.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.68

136.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mercedes: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $552 in Mercedes. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $54.0 in Mercedes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $288 – 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 Mercedes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mercedes is pricier by about 31%, 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 $1,996 in Mercedes. 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 $54.0 in Mercedes. 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 $1,330 in Mercedes. 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 Mercedes at $1,330. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mercedes 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, Mercedes makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.