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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,041 in Minas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,632 in Minas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,223 in Minas, rent included.

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

Both Medellin and Minas are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Minas 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$16.39 UYU 659

-63.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$54.1 UYU 2,174

-39.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$12.06 UYU 485

-38.39%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$4.27 UYU 172

-61.36%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$2.27 UYU 91.2

-51.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$1.70 UYU 68.4

-54.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$4.41 UYU 178

-61.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.72 UYU 150

-14.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.20 UYU 48.17

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$2.90 UYU 117

-56.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.56 UYU 62.8

-11.54%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$4.79 UYU 193

-54.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$13.30 UYU 535

-66.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$10.63 UYU 427

-45.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$10.96 UYU 441

-18.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.12 UYU 125

-25.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.38 UYU 95.5

-55.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.56 UYU 62.8

-2.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$3.74 UYU 150

-63.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.18 UYU 87.5

-48.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.88 UYU 75.6

-37.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.38 UYU 55.4

-34.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.66 UYU 66.6

-45.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$5.20 UYU 209

-57.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$8.73 UYU 351

38.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.34 UYU 94.1

-49.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.93 UYU 118

-15.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.56 UYU 62.7

-8.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$3.49 UYU 140

-44.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$12.36 UYU 497

-36.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.84 UYU 74.0

-46.20%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$34.3K UYU 1.4M

-48.66%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$36.0K UYU 1.4M

-25.48%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$174 UYU 7,007

-52.37%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$16.80 UYU 676

-42.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$50.1 UYU 2,014

-53.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$10.60 UYU 426

-62.74%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$477 UYU 19.2K

-33.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$8,959 UYU 360.2K

-33.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$94.3 UYU 3,790

-36.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$48.48 UYU 1,949

-34.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$113 UYU 4,545

-10.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$121 UYU 4,870

-11.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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 27, 2026

Last update for Minas: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $54.0 in Minas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $318 – 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 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 $1,504 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 $54.0 in Minas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 64% 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 $1,003, 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.