Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and San Marco Argentano

For one person, living is cheaper in San Marco Argentano: $1,389 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
San Marco Argentano, Italy
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
San Marco Argentano
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,389
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in San Marco Argentano

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 Marco Argentano actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $1,389 in San Marco Argentano, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • San Marco Argentano $1,389

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $2,107 in San Marco Argentano, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • San Marco Argentano $2,107

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $2,825 in San Marco Argentano, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • San Marco Argentano $2,825

Medellin costs about 18% more than San Marco Argentano, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Medellin and San Marco Argentano sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, San Marco Argentano by 2%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
San Marco Argentano
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 25.4K
$16.49 €14.82
-50.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 148.0K
$56.7 €51.0
-17.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 29.9K
$11.15 €10.02
-14.80%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,485
$1.33 €1.19
126.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,660
$1.09 €0.98
65.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,443
$0.55 €0.49
156.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 9,990
$2.18 €1.95
45.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.1K
$3.40 €3.06
69.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
San Marco Argentano
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,751
$1.25 €1.13
20.80%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,480
$1.11 €1.00
114.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,573
$2.18 €1.96
-18.81%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,093
$3.41 €3.07
-15.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.1K
$5.43 €4.88
87.66%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.1K
$5.53 €4.97
78.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 44.0K
$11.26 €10.12
24.25%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.5K
$1.95 €1.76
103.59%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 4,883
$1.69 €1.52
-8.28%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,867
$1.39 €1.25
56.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,870
$2.28 €2.05
-4.39%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,174
$1.15 €1.04
70.43%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,000
$1.31 €1.17
21.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,604
$1.28 €1.15
-10.16%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,911
$0.43 €0.38
188.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.5K
$5.69 €5.11
-30.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 43.0K
$7.77 €6.98
76.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,222
$1.14 €1.03
45.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,104
$1.53 €1.38
47.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
San Marco Argentano
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,674
$1.71 €1.53
-31.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 243.4K
$41.79 €37.55
85.14%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 3,989
$5.65 €5.08
-77.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,442
$1.65 €1.48
24.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 26.9K
$56.9 €51.1
-84.97%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,237
$1.85 €1.66
-27.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 107.2M
$21.4K €19.2K
59.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 109.1M
$24.6K €22.1K
41.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
San Marco Argentano
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 533.7K
$111 €100
52.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 42.6K
$10.44 €9.38
29.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 88.3K
$27.76 €24.94
1.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
San Marco Argentano
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 137.5K
$54.4 €48.84
-19.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 54.1K
$23.52 €21.13
-26.91%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 21.7K
$8.79 €7.90
-21.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
San Marco Argentano
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.5M
$168 €151
373.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 28.7M
$11.4K €10.2K
-20.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
San Marco Argentano
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 266.5K
$79.8 €71.7
6.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 182.3K
$34.01 €30.55
70.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 424.6K
$85.4 €76.7
58.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 307.9K
$100 €90.3
-2.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
San Marco Argentano
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.8M
$736 €662
64.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.0M
$563 €506
13.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.4M
$1,139 €1,023
78.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.2M
$888 €798
13.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.1M
$2,883 €2,590
44.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.0M
$2,025 €1,819
-5.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
San Marco Argentano
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$1,689 €1,518
-61.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
2
447.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for San Marco Argentano: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
San Marco Argentano
$563 12.2% $78
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
San Marco Argentano
$201 32.2% $96
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
San Marco Argentano
$150 29.2% $62
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
San Marco Argentano
$206 21.2% $36
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
San Marco Argentano
$135 20.2% $34
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
San Marco Argentano
$63 33.2% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
San Marco Argentano
$72 25% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $736 in San Marco Argentano. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in San Marco Argentano are about 2.6 times higher, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $57 in San Marco Argentano. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Medellin vs $201 in San Marco Argentano – so San Marco Argentano wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇮🇹 San Marco Argentano
🕒 Local time
06:07 6:07 AM
12:07 12:07 PM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
7,200
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,501 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin San Marco Argentano 9,710 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • San Marco Argentano

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 Marco Argentano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is San Marco Argentano cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 18%, 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 $2,459 per month in Medellin and $2,083 in San Marco Argentano. 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 Marco Argentano, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $736 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in San Marco Argentano?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $57 in San Marco Argentano. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in San Marco Argentano?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $1,389 in San Marco Argentano. That’s a gap of about 18%.
Is Medellin or San Marco Argentano more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward San Marco Argentano – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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