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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $888 in Quilmes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,488 in Quilmes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,087 in Quilmes, rent included.

Medellin costs about 16% more than Quilmes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Quilmes are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Quilmes 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$8.94 ARS 12.5K

-33.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$30.28 ARS 42.2K

8.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$9.14 ARS 12.8K

-21.23%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.70 ARS 2,377

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.27 ARS 1,774

-13.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.18 ARS 1,642

-38.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.25 ARS 1,747

33.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.70 ARS 3,774

14.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.26 ARS 1,763

-15.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.59 ARS 2,216

-21.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.83 ARS 2,556

-24.04%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.15 ARS 2,999

5.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$12.98 ARS 18.1K

-66.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.01 ARS 8,382

-2.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.29 ARS 14.4K

-14.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.83 ARS 2,547

22.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.19 ARS 3,054

-50.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.99 ARS 1,377

54.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.64 ARS 3,681

-48.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.14 ARS 1,585

-0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.39 ARS 1,938

-19.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.87 ARS 1,212

-2.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.87 ARS 2,614

-51.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.32 ARS 4,629

-29.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$5.12 ARS 7,140

117.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.30 ARS 1,819

-8.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.02 ARS 4,213

-21.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.83 ARS 1,155

-4.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$2.55 ARS 3,557

-43.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.92 ARS 1,285

107.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$5.86 ARS 8,179

36.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.06 ARS 1,482

-11.32%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$24.1K ARS 33.7M

-25.74%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$26.3K ARS 36.7M

1.87%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$56.0 ARS 78.1K

49.96%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$18.84 ARS 26.3K

-49.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$14.86 ARS 20.7K

62.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$26.35 ARS 36.8K

-1.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$13.75 ARS 19.2K

38.47%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.96 ARS 6,919

-20.97%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$221 ARS 307.9K

38.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$1,096 ARS 1.5M

440.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$61.1 ARS 85.3K

-5.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$58.9 ARS 82.1K

-45.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$109 ARS 152.7K

-8.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$95.7 ARS 133.5K

12.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$344 ARS 480.2K

41.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$237 ARS 330.2K

55.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$681 ARS 950.8K

21.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$541 ARS 755.3K

32.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,314 ARS 3.2M

26.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,764 ARS 2.5M

-20.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,106 ARS 1.5M

-50.67%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Quilmes: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $344 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 103% 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 $239 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 16%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,332 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 26% 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 $888, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.