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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,330 in Mercedes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $2,020 in Mercedes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,710 in Mercedes, rent included.

Medellin is about 23% cheaper than Mercedes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Mercedes is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$15.82 UYU 636

-61.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$55.1 UYU 2,214

-40.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$12.37 UYU 497

-40.66%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$4.27 UYU 172

-59.72%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$2.26 UYU 90.7

-53.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.70 UYU 68.2

-54.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$4.44 UYU 179

-61.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.76 UYU 151

-15.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.27 UYU 51.0

-17.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.85 UYU 115

-54.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.44 UYU 57.9

-2.78%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.62 UYU 105

-17.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$13.76 UYU 553

-68.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$10.84 UYU 436

-45.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.42 UYU 298

16.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.99 UYU 79.9

14.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.47 UYU 99.3

-55.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.07 UYU 43.16

42.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$3.01 UYU 121

-55.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.11 UYU 84.7

-46.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.89 UYU 76.1

-40.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.32 UYU 53.1

-35.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.63 UYU 65.4

-44.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$4.92 UYU 198

-52.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.92 UYU 358

38.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.35 UYU 94.3

-48.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.01 UYU 121

-17.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.19 UYU 47.67

-29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$43.60 UYU 1,752

-6.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.49 UYU 59.9

-4.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.55 UYU 62.3

23.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$10.85 UYU 436

-29.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.84 UYU 73.8

-46.20%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$33.9K UYU 1.4M

-46.84%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$35.6K UYU 1.4M

-25.28%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$174 UYU 6,977

-53.45%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$16.81 UYU 675

-40.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$48.93 UYU 1,966

-50.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$10.33 UYU 415

-61.47%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$486 UYU 19.5K

-37.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$8,853 UYU 355.8K

-31.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$96.0 UYU 3,858

-39.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$47.96 UYU 1,928

-32.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$114 UYU 4,566

-11.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$125 UYU 5,007

-13.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$566 UYU 22.7K

-15.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$289 UYU 11.6K

30.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$620 UYU 24.9K

36.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$441 UYU 17.7K

65.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mercedes: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $566 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 $55.0 in Mercedes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $290 – 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 29%, 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 $1,996 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 $55.0 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 $1,031 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 $1,031, 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.