Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Río Tercero Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Río Tercero

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $946 in Río Tercero, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,583 in Río Tercero, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,219 in Río Tercero, rent included.

Medellin costs about 9% more than Río Tercero, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Río Tercero are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Río Tercero 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$10.41 ARS 15.4K

-40.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$34.32 ARS 50.7K

-5.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$9.16 ARS 13.5K

-19.87%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.69 ARS 3,980

-36.06%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.69 ARS 2,498

-37.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.53 ARS 2,266

-49.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$2.07 ARS 3,055

-18.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.09 ARS 4,563

2.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.26 ARS 1,861

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.63 ARS 2,416

-20.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.04 ARS 3,015

-31.37%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$2.18 ARS 3,224

-0.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$10.01 ARS 14.8K

-56.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.05 ARS 8,938

-2.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.28 ARS 13.7K

-6.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$2.04 ARS 3,020

11.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$2.13 ARS 3,154

-47.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.32 ARS 1,945

15.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.61 ARS 3,862

-48.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.17 ARS 1,732

-3.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.24 ARS 1,830

-8.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.25 ARS 1,850

-32.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.42 ARS 2,099

-35.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$3.08 ARS 4,546

-24.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$4.94 ARS 7,305

150.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.05 ARS 3,025

-41.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.05 ARS 4,510

-18.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.84 ARS 1,241

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.53 ARS 2,260

-7.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.91 ARS 1,344

110.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$5.91 ARS 8,732

29.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.06 ARS 1,561

-6.60%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$27.9K ARS 41.2M

-35.29%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$30.9K ARS 45.7M

-13.88%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$67.5 ARS 99.8K

19.68%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$16.87 ARS 24.9K

-41.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$22.60 ARS 33.4K

6.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$25.65 ARS 37.9K

-2.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$13.74 ARS 20.3K

39.37%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.23 ARS 9,205

-36.12%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$222 ARS 327.7K

37.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$2,655 ARS 3.9M

128.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$73.4 ARS 108.5K

-20.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$68.3 ARS 101.0K

-52.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$116 ARS 170.9K

-12.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$114 ARS 168.5K

-5.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$342 ARS 505.7K

39.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$234 ARS 345.3K

61.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$678 ARS 1.0M

24.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$540 ARS 798.7K

35.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,465 ARS 3.6M

30.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,406 ARS 2.1M

-2.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$641 ARS 947.2K

-3.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

58.5

-77.04%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Río Tercero: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $342 in Río Tercero. 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 4% higher in Río Tercero, 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 $34.00 in Río Tercero. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $230 – 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 Río Tercero: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 9%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,419 in Río Tercero. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Río Tercero, 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 $34.00 in Río Tercero. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 19% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Río Tercero, where all-in costs run around $946, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Río Tercero it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Río Tercero – 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 Río Tercero. 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.