Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Minas Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Minas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $1,041 in Minas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,660 in Minas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $2,279 in Minas, rent included.

Medellin is about 1% cheaper than Minas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Minas are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Minas 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$16.22 UYU 648

-63.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$55.2 UYU 2,205

-40.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$12.34 UYU 493

-39.87%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$4.26 UYU 170

-61.27%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$2.17 UYU 86.8

-50.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$1.69 UYU 67.7

-55.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$4.47 UYU 179

-61.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$3.58 UYU 143

-10.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$1.24 UYU 49.59

-15.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$2.77 UYU 111

-52.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$1.63 UYU 65.3

-17.79%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$4.66 UYU 186

-53.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$13.80 UYU 552

-68.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$10.68 UYU 427

-46.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$10.85 UYU 433

-21.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$3.03 UYU 121

-22.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$2.34 UYU 93.6

-52.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$1.56 UYU 62.5

-2.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$3.60 UYU 144

-61.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$2.13 UYU 85.3

-46.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$1.88 UYU 75.2

-37.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$1.33 UYU 53.1

-36.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$1.74 UYU 69.7

-50.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$5.27 UYU 211

-57.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$10.05 UYU 402

15.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$2.30 UYU 91.8

-47.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$2.94 UYU 118

-15.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$1.60 UYU 63.8

-8.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$3.47 UYU 139

-44.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$12.47 UYU 498

-37.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$1.91 UYU 76.4

-47.12%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$34.5K UYU 1.4M

-48.83%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$36.0K UYU 1.4M

-26.50%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$170 UYU 6,785

-52.23%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$16.97 UYU 678

-44.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$49.10 UYU 1,963

-51.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$10.47 UYU 419

-60.94%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$477 UYU 19.1K

-34.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$8,961 UYU 358.2K

-32.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$91.6 UYU 3,659

-34.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$48.41 UYU 1,935

-33.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$116 UYU 4,642

-12.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$121 UYU 4,823

-12.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Minas: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $55.0 in Minas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $320 – 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 Minas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Minas is pricier by about 1%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,562 in Minas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $55.0 in Minas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 69% more in Minas, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,028, than in Minas at $1,041. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Minas 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, Minas makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.