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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,639 in Montevideo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $2,510 in Montevideo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $3,381 in Montevideo, rent included.

Medellin is about 39% cheaper than Montevideo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$15.87 UYU 638

-62.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$54.8 UYU 2,205

-39.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$12.19 UYU 490

-39.05%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$4.14 UYU 167

-60.14%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$2.25 UYU 90.3

-51.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$1.78 UYU 71.6

-56.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$4.48 UYU 180

-61.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.77 UYU 151

-15.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.27 UYU 51.1

-13.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$2.87 UYU 116

-56.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.66 UYU 66.7

-16.87%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$4.91 UYU 197

-55.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$13.80 UYU 555

-67.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$10.67 UYU 429

-45.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$10.88 UYU 437

-17.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.12 UYU 125

-25.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.42 UYU 97.4

-56.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.50 UYU 60.1

1.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$3.69 UYU 148

-63.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.17 UYU 87.2

-47.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.96 UYU 78.7

-40.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.32 UYU 53.0

-31.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.69 UYU 67.8

-46.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$5.29 UYU 213

-57.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$8.82 UYU 355

37.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.30 UYU 92.4

-48.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.96 UYU 119

-16.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$1.30 UYU 52.3

-34.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$55.1 UYU 2,217

-24.52%

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

$3.44 UYU 138

-43.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$12.55 UYU 504

-37.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.88 UYU 75.6

-47.34%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$34.3K UYU 1.4M

-48.64%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$36.7K UYU 1.5M

-26.95%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$175 UYU 7,043

-52.61%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$16.34 UYU 657

-40.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$49.56 UYU 1,993

-52.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$60.9 UYU 2,449

-58.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$17.09 UYU 687

11.76%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$10.39 UYU 418

-61.98%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$487 UYU 19.6K

-35.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$9,026 UYU 362.9K

-33.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$94.4 UYU 3,796

-36.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$47.73 UYU 1,919

-33.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$114 UYU 4,583

-10.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$122 UYU 4,887

-11.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$614 UYU 24.7K

-22.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$483 UYU 19.4K

-22.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$1,095 UYU 44.0K

-22.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$828 UYU 33.3K

-13.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$3,586 UYU 144.2K

-8.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$2,284 UYU 91.8K

-36.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,283 UYU 51.6K

-51.33%

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 Montevideo: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $614 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 105% 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: $193 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 Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 64%, 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 $2,459 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $1,639 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 $1,003, than in Montevideo at $1,639. 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.