Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and San Isidro, Argentina

For one person, living is cheaper in San Isidro: $1,077 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $7,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
San Isidro, Argentina
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
San Isidro
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,077
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in San Isidro

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in San Isidro actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $1,077 in San Isidro, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,692
  • San Isidro $1,077

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $1,804 in San Isidro, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,471
  • San Isidro $1,804

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $2,530 in San Isidro, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,249
  • San Isidro $2,530

Medellin costs about 57% more than San Isidro, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while San Isidro is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
San Isidro
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.34 COP 26.9K
$9.90 ARS 15.3K
-15.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.53 COP 150.2K
$37.65 ARS 58.2K
23.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 COP 30.6K
$11.38 ARS 17.6K
-16.78%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 10.1K
$3.03 ARS 4,679
3.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 COP 5,702
$1.69 ARS 2,603
4.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 COP 4,599
$1.70 ARS 2,621
-16.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 COP 10.2K
$4.04 ARS 6,248
-22.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 COP 18.4K
$2.27 ARS 3,508
151.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
San Isidro
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,948
$1.27 ARS 1,959
20.47%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 COP 7,397
$1.63 ARS 2,521
40.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 COP 6,279
$1.51 ARS 2,326
28.48%
Eggs
$3.07 COP 9,900
$2.33 ARS 3,595
31.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 COP 32.3K
$8.49 ARS 13.1K
17.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 COP 33.7K
$5.83 ARS 9,003
79.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 COP 45.1K
$10.61 ARS 16.4K
31.57%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 COP 13.1K
$2.01 ARS 3,102
101.49%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,934
$1.51 ARS 2,336
1.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,794
$1.07 ARS 1,646
96.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 COP 7,405
$2.04 ARS 3,156
12.25%
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,810
$1.00 ARS 1,539
111.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 COP 5,518
$0.68 ARS 1,050
151.47%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,778
$1.53 ARS 2,371
-23.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 5,101
$1.78 ARS 2,755
-11.24%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 COP 12.6K
$3.28 ARS 5,072
19.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 COP 45.3K
$4.62 ARS 7,143
203.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 COP 5,688
$1.26 ARS 1,949
39.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 COP 8,756
$2.65 ARS 4,102
2.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
San Isidro
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,809
$1.02 ARS 1,576
15.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.3 COP 246.3K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,833
$1.59 ARS 2,451
13.84%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,874
$1.02 ARS 1,582
108.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 COP 26.3K
$7.74 ARS 12.0K
5.04%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,117
$1.15 ARS 1,781
11.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 111.2M
$23.9K ARS 36.9M
44.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.2M
$30.5K ARS 47.1M
11.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
San Isidro
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 COP 573.8K
$58.9 ARS 91.0K
201.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89 COP 44.8K
$20.03 ARS 30.9K
-30.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.74 COP 99.2K
$27.30 ARS 42.2K
12.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
San Isidro
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 COP 135.4K
$31.74 ARS 49.0K
32.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 COP 54.2K
$20.56 ARS 31.8K
-18.29%
Cinema Ticket
$7.47 COP 24.1K
$4.90 ARS 7,571
52.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
San Isidro
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.6M
$235 ARS 363.8K
235.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K COP 39.7M
$4,273 ARS 6.6M
187.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
San Isidro
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 COP 278.7K
$90.5 ARS 139.8K
-4.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 COP 191.3K
$59.7 ARS 92.3K
-0.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 446.6K
$118 ARS 181.6K
17.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 COP 319.0K
$138 ARS 213.2K
-28.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
San Isidro
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 COP 4.3M
$515 ARS 796.0K
160.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 COP 2.2M
$331 ARS 511.8K
101.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 COP 6.4M
$1,064 ARS 1.6M
85.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 COP 3.3M
$814 ARS 1.3M
26.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,098 COP 13.2M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,940 COP 6.3M
$1,269 ARS 2.0M
52.86%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
San Isidro
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$646 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
57.25
-80.89%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for San Isidro: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$667
San Isidro
$331 50.4% $336
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$307
San Isidro
$217 29.4% $90
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$222
San Isidro
$106 52.2% $116
Eating Out
Medellin
$173
San Isidro
$188 8.9% $15
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$172
San Isidro
$183 6% $10
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
San Isidro
$11 * 88.5% $83
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
San Isidro
$42 27% $15

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,341 in Medellin versus $515 in San Isidro. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $38 in San Isidro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $217 – making San Isidro the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇦🇷 San Isidro
🕒 Local time
16:09 4:09 PM
18:09 6:09 PM
2 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
45,190
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ARS, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,610 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 1,545 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.47 USD). 1 EUR = 1,728 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.79 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin San Isidro 4,870 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • San Isidro

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 San Isidro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is San Isidro cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 57%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,538 per month in Medellin and $1,616 in San Isidro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in San Isidro, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $515 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in San Isidro?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $38 in San Isidro. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in San Isidro?
Groceries cost about 42% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $2,000 enough for either Medellin or San Isidro?
$2,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,692 in Medellin and $1,077 in San Isidro, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Medellin or San Isidro more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward San Isidro – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Medellin vs other spots: cost of living compared

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