Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and San Luis Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and San Luis

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $866 in San Luis, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,402 in San Luis, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,939 in San Luis, rent included.

Medellin costs about 19% more than San Luis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and San Luis are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, San Luis 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$11.17 ARS 15.6K

-47.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$40.52 ARS 56.5K

-19.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$9.58 ARS 13.4K

-24.84%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.67 ARS 5,122

-53.68%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$2.25 ARS 3,139

-51.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$2.06 ARS 2,872

-65.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.64 ARS 2,288

1.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.93 ARS 4,094

5.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.34 ARS 1,865

-20.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.56 ARS 2,176

-19.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.01 ARS 2,806

-30.85%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.16 ARS 3,019

4.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$6.59 ARS 9,193

-34.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.64 ARS 6,473

25.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$5.59 ARS 7,806

57.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.23 ARS 1,714

82.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.53 ARS 2,132

-29.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.46 ARS 2,032

4.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.08 ARS 2,909

-34.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.97 ARS 1,358

16.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.99 ARS 1,380

13.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.02 ARS 1,419

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.51 ARS 707

78.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.43 ARS 3,386

-4.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$4.93 ARS 6,874

125.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.05 ARS 2,859

-41.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.47 ARS 4,848

-31.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.54 ARS 753

46.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.45 ARS 622

220.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.01 ARS 1,410

89.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$4.91 ARS 6,854

63.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.02 ARS 1,425

-7.84%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$31.0K ARS 43.2M

-42.18%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$33.7K ARS 47.0M

-20.46%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$59.8 ARS 83.4K

40.52%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$10.86 ARS 15.2K

-11.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$21.91 ARS 30.6K

10.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$26.00 ARS 36.3K

-0.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$13.60 ARS 19.0K

40.00%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.56 ARS 7,760

-29.50%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$104 ARS 145.6K

193.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$2,181 ARS 3.0M

171.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$81.9 ARS 114.3K

-29.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$78.2 ARS 109.0K

-59.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$132 ARS 184.8K

-24.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$118 ARS 165.0K

-9.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$297 ARS 414.0K

64.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$167 ARS 232.9K

120.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$523 ARS 729.3K

57.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$303 ARS 422.8K

136.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,074 ARS 2.9M

41.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$605 ARS 844.4K

132.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$491 ARS 684.4K

11.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-83.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for San Luis: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $297 in San Luis. 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 11% higher in Medellin, 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 $41.00 in San Luis. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $179 in San Luis – so San Luis 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 San Luis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 19%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,299 in San Luis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Luis, 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 $41.00 in San Luis. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Medellin, 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 San Luis, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Medellin at $1,034. In San Luis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Luis – 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 San Luis. 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.