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 $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,030 in Treinta y Tres, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,600 in Treinta y Tres, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,170 in Treinta y Tres, rent included.

Medellin costs about 63% more than Treinta y Tres, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Treinta y Tres is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.5K

$13.62 UYU 547

-41.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$43.24 UYU 1,737

10.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$8.80 UYU 354

12.39%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,941

$2.79 UYU 112

12.19%

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

$1.91 COP 6,061

$2.68 UYU 108

-28.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,796

$2.00 UYU 80.2

-24.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,921

$2.23 UYU 89.4

39.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$2.90 UYU 116

98.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,590

$1.07 UYU 42.92

34.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,898

$2.21 UYU 88.6

12.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,634

$1.75 UYU 70.5

1.14%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,400

$3.80 UYU 153

-22.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$12.35 UYU 496

-18.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$8.93 UYU 359

13.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$7.64 UYU 307

87.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$2.18 UYU 87.4

89.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,109

$1.23 UYU 49.27

30.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,132

$1.52 UYU 61.1

48.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,154

$2.33 UYU 93.6

-3.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,489

$1.21 UYU 48.74

68.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,876

$2.26 UYU 90.9

-31.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,716

$1.10 UYU 44.13

6.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,150

$1.92 UYU 77.0

-31.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$5.37 UYU 216

-27.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$5.45 UYU 219

157.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,536

$2.22 UYU 89.2

-21.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,116

$2.75 UYU 111

4.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,860

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,157

$1.27 UYU 51.2

3.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,947

$0.43 UYU 17.33

409.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$10.54 UYU 423

-17.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,336

$1.96 UYU 78.5

-30.10%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$19.8K UYU 795.6K

40.52%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$37.8K UYU 1.5M

-5.44%

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

$177 COP 563.1K

$113 UYU 4,532

57.13%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$12.31 UYU 495

12.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$36.55 UYU 1,468

-18.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.6K

$30.28 UYU 1,216

48.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$6.03 UYU 242

10.28%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$176 UYU 7,073

361.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$2,718 UYU 109.2K

238.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.3K

$61.6 UYU 2,474

45.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.3K

$19.92 UYU 800

196.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 439.0K

$98.2 UYU 3,943

40.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.4K

$111 UYU 4,448

-7.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$442 UYU 17.7K

140.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$245 UYU 9,823

171.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$624 UYU 25.1K

202.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$379 UYU 15.2K

170.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$801 UYU 32.2K

422.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$754 UYU 30.3K

-10.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

173.50%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Treinta y Tres: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $442 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 11% higher in Treinta y Tres, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $43.00 in Treinta y Tres. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $259 – making Treinta y Tres 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 63%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,544 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 Treinta y Tres, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $43.00 in Treinta y Tres. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Treinta y Tres, where all-in costs run around $1,030, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Treinta y Tres it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Treinta y Tres – 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 Treinta y Tres. 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.