Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Treinta y Tres Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Treinta y Tres

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,042 in Treinta y Tres, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,596 in Treinta y Tres, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,150 in Treinta y Tres, rent included.

Medellin is about 2% cheaper than Treinta y Tres, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Treinta y Tres are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Treinta y Tres 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$13.28 UYU 538

-55.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$43.53 UYU 1,765

-23.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.50 UYU 345

-14.94%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.67 UYU 108

-38.95%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$2.20 UYU 89.1

-50.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.69 UYU 68.6

-56.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.15 UYU 87.2

-19.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.01 UYU 122

7.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.10 UYU 44.61

-4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$2.19 UYU 88.7

-41.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.58 UYU 64.1

-16.46%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$3.72 UYU 151

-38.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$12.27 UYU 498

-64.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$8.61 UYU 349

-31.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.48 UYU 303

15.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.15 UYU 87.3

4.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.18 UYU 48.00

-9.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.44 UYU 58.3

5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.32 UYU 93.9

-38.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.19 UYU 48.35

-1.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.92 UYU 77.9

-39.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.11 UYU 45.09

-19.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.67 UYU 67.8

-46.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$5.12 UYU 207

-56.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$5.49 UYU 223

101.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.16 UYU 87.8

-47.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.99 UYU 121

-20.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.19 UYU 48.42

18.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.30 UYU 93.3

-17.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$12.24 UYU 496

-36.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.85 UYU 75.0

-45.41%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$19.6K UYU 792.7K

-10.09%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$35.6K UYU 1.4M

-25.63%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$109 UYU 4,433

-23.48%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$12.44 UYU 504

-24.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$36.78 UYU 1,491

-34.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$29.74 UYU 1,206

-14.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.04 UYU 245

-32.12%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$169 UYU 6,836

85.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$2,637 UYU 106.9K

127.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$60.2 UYU 2,439

-3.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$19.33 UYU 784

68.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$96.2 UYU 3,901

3.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$108 UYU 4,386

0.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$447 UYU 18.1K

7.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$242 UYU 9,806

56.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$610 UYU 24.7K

37.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$373 UYU 15.1K

93.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$786 UYU 31.9K

261.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$730 UYU 29.6K

-25.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

235.75%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Treinta y Tres: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $447 in Treinta y Tres. 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 35% higher in Treinta y Tres, 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 $44.00 in Treinta y Tres. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $251 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Treinta y Tres: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Treinta y Tres is pricier by about 3%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,564 in Treinta y Tres. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $44.00 in Treinta y Tres. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Treinta y Tres, 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Treinta y Tres at $1,042. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Treinta y Tres it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Treinta y Tres makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.