Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ushuaia Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ushuaia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $972 in Ushuaia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,567 in Ushuaia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,163 in Ushuaia, rent included.

Medellin costs about 6% more than Ushuaia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Ushuaia are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Ushuaia 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$10.35 ARS 15.3K

-40.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$33.32 ARS 49.3K

-2.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.83 ARS 13.1K

-16.87%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.80 ARS 4,133

-38.57%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.65 ARS 2,438

-36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.54 ARS 2,280

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$2.12 ARS 3,139

-20.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.95 ARS 4,364

7.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.25 ARS 1,849

-16.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.64 ARS 2,419

-20.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.93 ARS 2,854

-27.46%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$2.24 ARS 3,305

-3.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$10.18 ARS 15.0K

-56.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.29 ARS 9,291

-6.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.19 ARS 13.6K

-5.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.94 ARS 2,869

17.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$2.13 ARS 3,149

-47.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.26 ARS 1,867

21.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.51 ARS 3,712

-46.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.14 ARS 1,680

-0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.25 ARS 1,844

-9.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.31 ARS 1,930

-35.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.43 ARS 2,113

-36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$3.22 ARS 4,752

-27.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$4.98 ARS 7,368

148.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.00 ARS 2,954

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.14 ARS 4,648

-20.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.82 ARS 1,219

2.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.51 ARS 2,237

-5.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.90 ARS 1,330

113.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.05 ARS 8,947

26.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.10 ARS 1,631

-10.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$27.2K ARS 40.2M

-33.63%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$30.1K ARS 44.5M

-11.51%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$66.2 ARS 97.8K

22.09%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$16.82 ARS 24.9K

-40.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$22.35 ARS 33.0K

8.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$26.07 ARS 38.5K

-3.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$13.59 ARS 20.1K

40.91%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.05 ARS 8,935

-34.21%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$222 ARS 328.6K

37.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$2,671 ARS 3.9M

126.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$73.1 ARS 108.1K

-20.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$68.9 ARS 101.8K

-53.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$114 ARS 168.0K

-11.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$111 ARS 163.4K

-2.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$333 ARS 492.8K

42.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$233 ARS 344.3K

61.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$695 ARS 1.0M

21.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$542 ARS 800.4K

34.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,898 ARS 2.8M

69.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,561 ARS 2.3M

-12.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

58.5

-77.04%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ushuaia: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $333 in Ushuaia. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $33.00 in Ushuaia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $230 – 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 Ushuaia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 6%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,457 in Ushuaia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ushuaia, 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 $33.00 in Ushuaia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 19% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ushuaia, where all-in costs run around $972, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Ushuaia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ushuaia – 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 Ushuaia. 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.