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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,086 in Minas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,702 in Minas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,318 in Minas, rent included.

Medellin costs about 55% more than Minas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Minas is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.5K

$15.03 UYU 604

-46.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$61.6 UYU 2,472

-22.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$13.63 UYU 547

-27.44%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,941

$4.30 UYU 173

-27.21%

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

$1.91 COP 6,061

$2.71 UYU 109

-29.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,796

$2.06 UYU 82.7

-26.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,921

$4.74 UYU 190

-34.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$3.81 UYU 153

50.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,590

$1.36 UYU 54.6

5.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,898

$2.86 UYU 115

-12.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,634

$1.79 UYU 71.8

-1.12%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,400

$4.80 UYU 193

-38.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$13.94 UYU 560

-27.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$11.64 UYU 468

-13.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$11.85 UYU 476

20.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$2.84 UYU 114

45.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,109

$2.85 UYU 114

-43.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,132

$1.71 UYU 68.7

31.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,154

$3.10 UYU 124

-27.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,489

$2.10 UYU 84.5

-2.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,876

$2.13 UYU 85.7

-27.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,716

$1.41 UYU 56.5

-17.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,150

$1.97 UYU 79.0

-33.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$5.49 UYU 221

-28.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$8.19 UYU 329

71.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,536

$2.32 UYU 93.3

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,116

$2.87 UYU 115

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,860

$0.76 UYU 30.58

60.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,157

$1.83 UYU 73.5

-28.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,947

$0.40 UYU 16.24

447.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$10.46 UYU 420

-16.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,336

$2.19 UYU 87.9

-37.44%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$26.9K UYU 1.1M

3.43%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$36.4K UYU 1.5M

-1.85%

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

$177 COP 563.1K

$190 UYU 7,616

-6.49%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$17.22 UYU 691

-19.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$45.16 UYU 1,814

-34.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$12.22 UYU 491

-45.58%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$616 UYU 24.8K

31.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$10.8K UYU 434.9K

-15.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.3K

$95.9 UYU 3,852

-6.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.3K

$55.9 UYU 2,246

5.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 439.0K

$124 UYU 4,969

11.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.4K

$132 UYU 5,286

-22.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.49

99.27%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Minas: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $62.0 in Minas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $331 – 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 55%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,629 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $62.0 in Minas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Minas, where all-in costs run around $1,086, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Minas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Minas – 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 Minas. 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.