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 $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $978 in Río Tercero, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,591 in Río Tercero, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,204 in Río Tercero, rent included.

Medellin costs about 4% more than Río Tercero, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Río Tercero are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Río Tercero 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$10.62 ARS 15.1K

-43.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$33.61 ARS 47.9K

-2.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$9.30 ARS 13.3K

-23.76%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.79 ARS 3,978

-38.71%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.71 ARS 2,437

-35.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$1.55 ARS 2,216

-49.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.08 ARS 2,970

-19.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.02 ARS 4,306

1.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.25 ARS 1,778

-12.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.64 ARS 2,342

-23.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.03 ARS 2,890

-32.02%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.19 ARS 3,122

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$10.17 ARS 14.5K

-56.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.35 ARS 9,053

-11.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$9.56 ARS 13.6K

-7.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.03 ARS 2,893

15.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.14 ARS 3,051

-50.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.33 ARS 1,890

12.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$2.54 ARS 3,619

-45.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.13 ARS 1,611

1.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.26 ARS 1,792

-7.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.27 ARS 1,811

-29.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.44 ARS 2,052

-41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$3.06 ARS 4,371

-25.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$5.33 ARS 7,598

99.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.98 ARS 2,830

-39.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$3.10 ARS 4,421

-20.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.81 ARS 1,161

6.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.54 ARS 2,196

-4.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.85 ARS 1,215

130.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$5.96 ARS 8,503

29.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.06 ARS 1,507

-10.38%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$27.7K ARS 39.5M

-34.45%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$31.0K ARS 44.2M

-14.49%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$66.1 ARS 94.4K

24.36%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$16.93 ARS 24.1K

-43.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$22.21 ARS 31.7K

9.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$26.11 ARS 37.3K

-0.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$13.67 ARS 19.5K

38.99%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.08 ARS 8,666

-35.36%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$219 ARS 312.2K

41.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$2,723 ARS 3.9M

119.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$74.8 ARS 106.7K

-21.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$69.2 ARS 98.7K

-53.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$116 ARS 165.2K

-11.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$112 ARS 159.7K

-3.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$338 ARS 482.4K

40.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$239 ARS 340.7K

58.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$694 ARS 990.4K

20.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$548 ARS 781.2K

32.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$2,068 ARS 2.9M

34.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$660 ARS 941.4K

-22.45%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Río Tercero: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $338 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 29% 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: $188 vs $233 – 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 4%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,468 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 23% 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 $978, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.