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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,045 in Minas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,658 in Minas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,271 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

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$16.26 UYU 647

-63.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$55.2 UYU 2,198

-40.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$11.99 UYU 477

-39.95%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$4.28 UYU 170

-60.28%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$2.22 UYU 88.5

-50.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.74 UYU 69.2

-58.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$4.46 UYU 177

-62.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.61 UYU 143

-14.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.20 UYU 47.55

-11.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.87 UYU 114

-56.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.65 UYU 65.8

-15.76%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$4.86 UYU 193

-53.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$13.32 UYU 530

-67.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$10.63 UYU 423

-45.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$11.08 UYU 441

-20.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.07 UYU 122

-27.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.40 UYU 95.3

-55.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.49 UYU 59.2

2.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$3.74 UYU 149

-63.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.16 UYU 85.8

-47.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.92 UYU 76.6

-41.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.33 UYU 52.8

-36.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.67 UYU 66.4

-45.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$5.15 UYU 205

-54.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$10.02 UYU 399

11.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.35 UYU 93.4

-49.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.95 UYU 117

-19.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.56 UYU 61.9

-7.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$3.61 UYU 144

-47.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$12.22 UYU 486

-34.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.81 UYU 72.0

-48.07%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$33.9K UYU 1.3M

-47.11%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$36.8K UYU 1.5M

-27.29%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$169 UYU 6,711

-50.23%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$16.34 UYU 650

-41.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$48.54 UYU 1,931

-50.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$10.73 UYU 427

-63.47%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$495 UYU 19.7K

-38.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$8,810 UYU 350.5K

-32.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$92.4 UYU 3,677

-37.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$48.47 UYU 1,928

-34.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$114 UYU 4,546

-12.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$122 UYU 4,837

-11.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Minas: April 27, 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 $321 – 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,567 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 $1,034, than in Minas at $1,045. 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.