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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,046 in Treinta y Tres, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,569 in Treinta y Tres, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,092 in Treinta y Tres, rent included.

Medellin is about 1% cheaper than Treinta y Tres, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Treinta y Tres are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Treinta y Tres 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$13.63 UYU 542

-56.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$43.64 UYU 1,736

-24.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.68 UYU 345

-17.05%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.77 UYU 110

-38.63%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$2.18 UYU 86.5

-49.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.70 UYU 67.5

-57.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.16 UYU 85.8

-22.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.92 UYU 116

6.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.06 UYU 42.18

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.15 UYU 85.4

-41.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.60 UYU 63.6

-13.13%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.74 UYU 149

-39.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$12.34 UYU 491

-64.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$8.63 UYU 343

-32.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.28 UYU 289

21.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.05 UYU 81.7

9.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.25 UYU 49.72

-13.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.46 UYU 57.9

4.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.29 UYU 91.2

-40.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.21 UYU 48.10

-6.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.88 UYU 74.7

-40.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.09 UYU 43.34

-22.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.74 UYU 69.0

-47.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$5.19 UYU 207

-55.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$5.66 UYU 225

96.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.24 UYU 89.1

-46.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.03 UYU 120

-21.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.20 UYU 47.69

20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$2.42 UYU 96.3

-21.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$12.54 UYU 499

-36.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.91 UYU 76.1

-50.79%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$19.5K UYU 777.7K

-8.33%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$36.3K UYU 1.4M

-26.17%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$112 UYU 4,457

-25.06%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$12.41 UYU 494

-22.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$36.38 UYU 1,447

-33.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$29.41 UYU 1,170

-12.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.15 UYU 245

-36.26%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$170 UYU 6,779

79.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$2,603 UYU 103.5K

127.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$61.9 UYU 2,462

-6.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$19.69 UYU 783

61.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$97.2 UYU 3,865

2.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$109 UYU 4,347

-1.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$433 UYU 17.2K

12.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$242 UYU 9,620

52.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$604 UYU 24.0K

36.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$366 UYU 14.6K

95.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$812 UYU 32.3K

260.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$748 UYU 29.8K

-27.12%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Treinta y Tres: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $433 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 37% 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 $252 – 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 1%, 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 $1,569 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 33% 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 $1,034, than in Treinta y Tres at $1,046. 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.