Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Quilmes Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Quilmes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $882 in Quilmes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,462 in Quilmes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,043 in Quilmes, rent included.

Medellin costs about 15% more than Quilmes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Quilmes are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Quilmes 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$9.14 ARS 13.1K

-34.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$30.02 ARS 42.9K

11.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$9.22 ARS 13.2K

-21.58%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.70 ARS 2,425

-4.12%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.27 ARS 1,807

-14.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.12 ARS 1,594

-34.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.20 ARS 1,718

45.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.74 ARS 3,910

17.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.27 ARS 1,815

-17.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.56 ARS 2,228

-17.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.87 ARS 2,664

-29.41%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.17 ARS 3,106

4.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$13.29 ARS 19.0K

-67.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.87 ARS 8,384

0.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$10.69 ARS 15.3K

-19.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.82 ARS 2,593

23.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.12 ARS 3,022

-49.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.97 ARS 1,389

56.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.58 ARS 3,680

-44.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.19 ARS 1,698

-1.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.38 ARS 1,975

-15.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.93 ARS 1,328

-4.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.85 ARS 2,640

-51.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.42 ARS 4,885

-34.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$4.20 ARS 5,999

162.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.30 ARS 1,852

-12.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.13 ARS 4,468

-23.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.83 ARS 1,185

1.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$2.54 ARS 3,630

-44.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.93 ARS 1,334

104.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$6.14 ARS 8,770

26.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.08 ARS 1,539

-6.48%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$24.0K ARS 34.3M

-26.88%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$26.2K ARS 37.4M

1.24%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$55.3 ARS 79.1K

51.21%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$18.56 ARS 26.5K

-49.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$14.85 ARS 21.2K

62.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$26.11 ARS 37.3K

-3.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$13.99 ARS 20.0K

36.81%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.02 ARS 7,176

-18.33%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$217 ARS 310.0K

43.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,094 ARS 1.6M

447.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$60.7 ARS 86.7K

-4.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$60.8 ARS 86.8K

-46.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$108 ARS 154.8K

-8.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$96.5 ARS 137.8K

12.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$337 ARS 481.2K

43.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$233 ARS 332.5K

63.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$685 ARS 978.0K

22.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$528 ARS 754.2K

36.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,389 ARS 3.4M

18.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,801 ARS 2.6M

-32.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,103 ARS 1.6M

-50.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

100

-86.57%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Quilmes: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $337 in Quilmes. 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 104% higher in Quilmes, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $30.00 in Quilmes. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $238 in Quilmes – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Quilmes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,322 in Quilmes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Quilmes, 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 $30.00 in Quilmes. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Quilmes, where all-in costs run around $882, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Quilmes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Quilmes – 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 Quilmes. 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.