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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,646 in Montevideo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,495 in Montevideo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $3,344 in Montevideo, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Montevideo is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$16.24 UYU 658

-63.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$56.0 UYU 2,272

-40.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$12.28 UYU 498

-41.12%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$4.11 UYU 166

-60.34%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$2.26 UYU 91.4

-51.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.76 UYU 71.5

-58.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$4.38 UYU 178

-60.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.74 UYU 152

-13.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.21 UYU 48.94

-13.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$2.84 UYU 115

-54.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.67 UYU 67.6

-20.96%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$4.80 UYU 195

-52.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$13.77 UYU 558

-68.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$10.84 UYU 439

-45.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$11.19 UYU 454

-23.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.10 UYU 126

-27.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.39 UYU 97.1

-55.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.50 UYU 60.8

1.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$3.75 UYU 152

-62.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.15 UYU 87.0

-45.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.94 UYU 78.8

-39.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.33 UYU 53.8

-33.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.71 UYU 69.3

-47.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$5.23 UYU 212

-56.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$10.14 UYU 411

8.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.30 UYU 93.4

-50.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.02 UYU 122

-21.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.29 UYU 52.3

-34.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$56.1 UYU 2,275

-25.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.56 UYU 63.1

-9.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$3.47 UYU 141

-45.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$12.35 UYU 501

-37.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.87 UYU 76.0

-45.99%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$34.0K UYU 1.4M

-48.37%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$36.9K UYU 1.5M

-28.29%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$170 UYU 6,873

-50.64%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$16.98 UYU 688

-44.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$48.75 UYU 1,976

-50.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$62.0 UYU 2,512

-59.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$17.74 UYU 719

7.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$10.40 UYU 422

-60.58%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$486 UYU 19.7K

-35.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$8,923 UYU 361.7K

-32.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$94.4 UYU 3,826

-38.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$46.75 UYU 1,895

-30.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$112 UYU 4,531

-10.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$124 UYU 5,009

-12.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$619 UYU 25.1K

-22.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$487 UYU 19.7K

-22.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,094 UYU 44.4K

-23.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$811 UYU 32.9K

-10.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$3,553 UYU 144.1K

-20.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$2,245 UYU 91.0K

-45.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,317 UYU 53.4K

-58.92%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $619 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 143% 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 $56.0 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $2,469 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 $56.0 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $1,646 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 $1,017, than in Montevideo at $1,646. 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.