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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $954 in Quilmes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,568 in Quilmes, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,183 in Quilmes, rent included.

Medellin costs about 76% more than Quilmes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Quilmes is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$5.74 ARS 8,688

39.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$35.51 ARS 53.8K

34.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$8.78 ARS 13.3K

12.64%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$2.96 ARS 4,484

5.74%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$1.69 ARS 2,555

13.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$1.70 ARS 2,576

-11.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$4.06 ARS 6,149

-23.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$2.22 ARS 3,367

159.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.02 ARS 1,545

41.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.62 ARS 2,459

53.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$1.61 ARS 2,430

9.94%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$2.27 ARS 3,439

30.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$13.57 ARS 20.5K

-25.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$5.80 ARS 8,776

74.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$9.99 ARS 15.1K

43.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$1.91 ARS 2,895

116.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.59 ARS 2,413

1.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$1.07 ARS 1,616

110.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$2.46 ARS 3,727

-8.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.00 ARS 1,509

104.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.64 ARS 964

140.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.68 ARS 1,028

72.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.69 ARS 1,041

89.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$4.94 ARS 7,474

-21.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$4.18 ARS 6,327

235.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.21 ARS 1,837

43.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$1.94 ARS 2,934

47.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$1.06 ARS 1,610

15.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$1.59 ARS 2,407

-17.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$1.01 ARS 1,536

116.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.14 ARS 1,722

20.18%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$49.2K ARS 74.5M

-43.44%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$38.3K ARS 58.1M

-6.72%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$61.1 ARS 92.6K

189.99%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$14.74 ARS 22.3K

-5.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$22.26 ARS 33.7K

33.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$34.03 ARS 51.5K

31.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$9.81 ARS 14.9K

-32.21%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$258 ARS 390.2K

215.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$95.3 ARS 144.2K

-6.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$34.38 ARS 52.0K

71.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$65.2 ARS 98.7K

112.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$69.8 ARS 105.6K

46.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$479 ARS 725.9K

121.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$325 ARS 491.5K

104.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$922 ARS 1.4M

104.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$735 ARS 1.1M

39.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$2,315 ARS 3.5M

80.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,813 ARS 2.7M

-7.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$1,082 ARS 1.6M

-37.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

100

-89.06%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Quilmes: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $479 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 60% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Quilmes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $211 – making Quilmes 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 Quilmes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 76%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,431 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $36.00 in Quilmes. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Quilmes, where all-in costs run around $954, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.