Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Montevideo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Montevideo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,677 in Montevideo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $2,515 in Montevideo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $3,353 in Montevideo, rent included.

Medellin is about 38% cheaper than Montevideo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Montevideo is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$16.11 UYU 641

-63.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$54.9 UYU 2,185

-40.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$12.04 UYU 479

-40.20%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$4.26 UYU 170

-60.09%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$2.20 UYU 87.4

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.69 UYU 67.4

-57.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$4.29 UYU 171

-61.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.60 UYU 143

-13.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.26 UYU 50.0

-15.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.81 UYU 112

-55.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.65 UYU 65.5

-15.76%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$4.92 UYU 196

-54.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$13.49 UYU 537

-67.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$10.73 UYU 427

-45.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$11.19 UYU 445

-21.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.12 UYU 124

-28.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.48 UYU 98.5

-56.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.55 UYU 61.7

-1.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$3.74 UYU 149

-63.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.15 UYU 85.6

-47.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.89 UYU 75.1

-40.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.36 UYU 54.2

-37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.66 UYU 66.1

-45.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$5.07 UYU 202

-54.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$10.18 UYU 405

9.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.36 UYU 93.8

-49.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.94 UYU 117

-19.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$1.29 UYU 51.1

-38.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$55.9 UYU 2,222

-26.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.54 UYU 61.3

-6.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$3.48 UYU 138

-45.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$12.29 UYU 489

-34.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.82 UYU 72.4

-48.35%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$33.7K UYU 1.3M

-46.87%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$37.0K UYU 1.5M

-27.65%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$173 UYU 6,863

-51.33%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$16.74 UYU 666

-42.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$48.89 UYU 1,945

-50.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$61.4 UYU 2,442

-57.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$17.46 UYU 695

9.05%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$10.66 UYU 424

-63.23%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$477 UYU 19.0K

-35.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$8,942 UYU 355.7K

-33.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$93.9 UYU 3,737

-38.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$48.23 UYU 1,919

-34.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$112 UYU 4,448

-10.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$125 UYU 4,978

-14.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$626 UYU 24.9K

-22.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$494 UYU 19.6K

-25.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,085 UYU 43.2K

-23.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$806 UYU 32.1K

-11.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$3,508 UYU 139.5K

-16.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$2,251 UYU 89.5K

-37.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,245 UYU 49.5K

-56.17%

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 Montevideo: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $626 in Montevideo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 128% higher in Montevideo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $55.0 in Montevideo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $324 – 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 Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 62%, 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 $2,515 in Montevideo. 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 Montevideo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $1,677 in Montevideo. 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 $1,034, than in Montevideo at $1,677. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo 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, Montevideo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.