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 $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $866 in San Luis, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,408 in San Luis, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,950 in San Luis, rent included.

Medellin costs about 16% more than San Luis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and San Luis are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, San Luis 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$10.94 ARS 16.2K

-45.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$40.35 ARS 59.9K

-18.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$9.41 ARS 14.0K

-21.04%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$3.77 ARS 5,601

-56.23%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$2.36 ARS 3,498

-53.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$1.99 ARS 2,952

-60.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.59 ARS 2,355

8.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.92 ARS 4,332

8.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.34 ARS 1,988

-17.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.53 ARS 2,274

-17.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.06 ARS 3,052

-33.01%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.20 ARS 3,262

-0.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.54 ARS 9,709

-31.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.46 ARS 6,626

29.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$5.70 ARS 8,470

57.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.23 ARS 1,828

88.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.52 ARS 2,257

-30.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.51 ARS 2,248

0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.10 ARS 3,113

-35.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.03 ARS 1,529

9.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.02 ARS 1,511

14.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.98 ARS 1,462

-8.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.52 ARS 770

73.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.53 ARS 3,762

-11.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$4.07 ARS 6,038

197.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.98 ARS 2,942

-39.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$3.47 ARS 5,153

-28.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.57 ARS 847

49.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.45 ARS 667

215.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.03 ARS 1,525

89.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$4.84 ARS 7,182

63.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.98 ARS 1,448

1.02%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$31.0K ARS 46.1M

-43.29%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$33.1K ARS 49.1M

-18.97%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$59.6 ARS 88.5K

39.33%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$10.96 ARS 16.3K

-11.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$21.52 ARS 32.0K

9.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$26.14 ARS 38.8K

-3.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$13.96 ARS 20.7K

36.82%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.53 ARS 8,206

-28.57%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$104 ARS 154.5K

203.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$2,124 ARS 3.2M

181.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$82.7 ARS 122.8K

-27.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$76.0 ARS 112.8K

-58.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$134 ARS 199.1K

-24.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$118 ARS 175.1K

-8.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$305 ARS 452.4K

55.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$172 ARS 255.6K

117.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$527 ARS 783.3K

60.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$304 ARS 450.8K

136.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$992 ARS 1.5M

229.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$593 ARS 880.3K

143.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$494 ARS 733.1K

26.50%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for San Luis: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $305 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 26% 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 $40.00 in San Luis. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $177 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 16%, 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 $1,504 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 $40.00 in San Luis. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% 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 $1,003. 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.