Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Rosario Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Rosario

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $822 in Rosario, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,363 in Rosario, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,905 in Rosario, rent included.

Medellin costs about 26% more than Rosario, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Rosario are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Rosario 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$9.11 ARS 12.7K

-35.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$29.61 ARS 41.3K

10.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$9.01 ARS 12.6K

-20.09%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.70 ARS 2,376

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.33 ARS 1,858

-17.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.18 ARS 1,650

-38.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.20 ARS 1,669

39.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.68 ARS 3,733

15.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.26 ARS 1,759

-15.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.55 ARS 2,166

-19.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.78 ARS 2,479

-21.91%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.25 ARS 3,142

0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$11.91 ARS 16.6K

-63.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.91 ARS 8,241

-1.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$9.57 ARS 13.4K

-7.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.83 ARS 2,558

22.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.03 ARS 2,837

-46.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.92 ARS 1,282

66.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.50 ARS 3,494

-45.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.51 ARS 2,104

-25.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.40 ARS 1,953

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.88 ARS 1,230

-3.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.44 ARS 2,004

-36.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.27 ARS 4,564

-28.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$4.62 ARS 6,452

140.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.30 ARS 1,811

-8.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.05 ARS 4,262

-22.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.82 ARS 1,145

-3.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.56 ARS 2,182

-7.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.86 ARS 1,206

122.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$5.93 ARS 8,272

35.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.08 ARS 1,504

-12.96%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$23.7K ARS 33.1M

-24.43%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$25.6K ARS 35.7M

4.82%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$55.0 ARS 76.8K

52.57%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$18.55 ARS 25.9K

-48.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$14.82 ARS 20.7K

63.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$24.04 ARS 33.5K

7.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$5.92 ARS 8,261

221.62%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.07 ARS 7,078

-22.68%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$326 ARS 454.3K

-5.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$1,089 ARS 1.5M

443.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$61.8 ARS 86.2K

-6.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$60.4 ARS 84.3K

-47.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$107 ARS 149.7K

-6.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$93.5 ARS 130.4K

14.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$200 ARS 279.7K

142.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$187 ARS 261.1K

96.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$523 ARS 730.3K

57.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$391 ARS 545.8K

83.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,083 ARS 2.9M

40.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$701 ARS 978.2K

-22.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

52.71

-74.52%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Rosario: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $200 in Rosario. 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 Rosario, 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 Rosario. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $226 in Rosario – 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 Rosario: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 26%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. 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 $1,232 in Rosario. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rosario, 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 Rosario. 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rosario, where all-in costs run around $822, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Rosario it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rosario – 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 Rosario. 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.