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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,257 in Salto, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,893 in Salto, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,529 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 24% lower, Salto 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$20.09 UYU 809

-70.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$39.02 UYU 1,571

-15.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$9.44 UYU 380

-24.89%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$3.08 UYU 124

-44.48%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$2.20 UYU 88.8

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$1.56 UYU 62.9

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$4.33 UYU 174

-61.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$3.26 UYU 131

-5.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.95 UYU 38.16

14.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.24 UYU 50.0

1.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.49 UYU 60.0

-7.38%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$3.33 UYU 134

-34.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$19.70 UYU 793

-77.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.30 UYU 294

-22.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$9.61 UYU 387

-7.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$0.93 UYU 37.60

61.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.45 UYU 58.2

-4.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.52 UYU 21.04

71.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.19 UYU 47.90

-29.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$4.88 UYU 196

-53.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$7.33 UYU 295

45.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.86 UYU 75.0

-35.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.23 UYU 89.9

10.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$1.20 UYU 48.27

-28.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$44.19 UYU 1,779

-6.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.51 UYU 60.9

-2.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.50 UYU 60.3

30.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$10.80 UYU 435

-28.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.83 UYU 73.9

-48.09%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$39.6K UYU 1.6M

-54.20%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$39.2K UYU 1.6M

-32.42%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$181 UYU 7,308

-54.67%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$20.48 UYU 825

-53.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$34.77 UYU 1,400

-30.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$31.41 UYU 1,265

-17.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$10.06 UYU 405

-60.93%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$68.1 UYU 2,742

-13.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$60.5 UYU 2,437

-46.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$109 UYU 4,406

-6.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$68.0 UYU 2,740

59.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$433 UYU 17.4K

10.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$277 UYU 11.2K

36.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$759 UYU 30.6K

10.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$474 UYU 19.1K

52.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$615 UYU 24.8K

-16.78%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Salto: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $433 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 20% higher in Salto, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $39.00 in Salto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $221 – 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,886 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 7% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 17% 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 $1,013, than in Salto at $1,257. 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.