Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Salto Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Salto

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,273 in Salto, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,869 in Salto, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,464 in Salto, rent included.

Medellin is about 19% cheaper than Salto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Salto are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Salto 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$20.41 UYU 820

-69.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$39.63 UYU 1,593

-17.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.95 UYU 360

-17.99%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.98 UYU 120

-42.28%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$2.23 UYU 89.6

-52.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.50 UYU 60.3

-48.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$4.51 UYU 181

-62.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.25 UYU 131

-2.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.95 UYU 38.25

10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.20 UYU 48.39

8.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.50 UYU 60.4

-6.67%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$3.45 UYU 139

-37.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$19.86 UYU 798

-77.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.41 UYU 298

-20.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$10.05 UYU 404

-14.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.99 UYU 39.84

54.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.44 UYU 57.7

-6.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.52 UYU 21.05

63.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.25 UYU 50.4

-27.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$5.10 UYU 205

-54.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.42 UYU 298

66.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.81 UYU 72.9

-33.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.17 UYU 87.1

14.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.21 UYU 48.60

-30.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$44.45 UYU 1,786

-8.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.51 UYU 60.7

-5.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.49 UYU 59.8

28.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$11.03 UYU 443

-30.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.89 UYU 75.9

-47.62%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$39.8K UYU 1.6M

-54.70%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$38.5K UYU 1.5M

-30.80%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$186 UYU 7,494

-56.66%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$20.12 UYU 809

-50.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$33.80 UYU 1,359

-28.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$32.17 UYU 1,293

-22.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$9.53 UYU 383

-58.24%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$68.1 UYU 2,738

-14.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$60.6 UYU 2,434

-46.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$111 UYU 4,471

-9.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$66.6 UYU 2,678

61.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$426 UYU 17.1K

11.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$281 UYU 11.3K

33.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$738 UYU 29.7K

14.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$457 UYU 18.4K

59.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$613 UYU 24.7K

0.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Salto: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $426 in Salto. 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 1% higher in Medellin, 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 $40.00 in Salto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $225 – 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 Salto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Salto is pricier by about 24%, 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 $1,910 in Salto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 10% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Salto, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Salto at $1,273. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Salto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Salto makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.