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 $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $847 in San Luis, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,389 in San Luis, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,932 in San Luis, rent included.

Medellin costs about 21% 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 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$11.21 ARS 16.1K

-46.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$41.37 ARS 59.4K

-20.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$9.68 ARS 13.9K

-23.35%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$3.79 ARS 5,449

-56.46%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$2.24 ARS 3,215

-52.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$2.02 ARS 2,904

-62.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$1.57 ARS 2,258

9.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$2.87 ARS 4,124

11.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.34 ARS 1,919

-21.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.54 ARS 2,215

-14.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.99 ARS 2,852

-32.66%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$2.19 ARS 3,140

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$6.58 ARS 9,456

-32.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$4.63 ARS 6,647

22.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$5.47 ARS 7,852

55.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$1.29 ARS 1,848

81.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.46 ARS 2,104

-23.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$1.46 ARS 2,104

4.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$2.11 ARS 3,035

-35.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$0.98 ARS 1,411

17.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$0.97 ARS 1,400

21.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$1.02 ARS 1,466

-17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.55 ARS 786

56.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$2.56 ARS 3,673

-11.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$4.04 ARS 5,801

187.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$2.06 ARS 2,953

-41.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$3.52 ARS 5,057

-29.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.57 ARS 817

38.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$0.45 ARS 640

226.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$1.02 ARS 1,465

88.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$4.79 ARS 6,878

62.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$0.99 ARS 1,418

2.02%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$31.9K ARS 45.8M

-44.63%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$34.0K ARS 48.8M

-22.18%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$61.1 ARS 87.7K

32.84%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$10.68 ARS 15.3K

-11.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$22.14 ARS 31.8K

7.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$26.53 ARS 38.1K

-2.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$13.75 ARS 19.8K

36.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$5.34 ARS 7,666

-23.41%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$105 ARS 151.3K

198.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$2,195 ARS 3.2M

174.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$80.5 ARS 115.6K

-25.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$76.7 ARS 110.2K

-58.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$138 ARS 197.7K

-26.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$119 ARS 171.3K

-11.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$303 ARS 435.0K

60.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$172 ARS 246.5K

112.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$533 ARS 765.8K

55.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$295 ARS 423.2K

147.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$1,018 ARS 1.5M

194.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$604 ARS 868.3K

117.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$503 ARS 722.4K

9.52%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for San Luis: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $303 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 10% 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 $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 21%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,271 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 7% 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 $847, than in Medellin at $1,028. 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.