Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Villa María Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Villa María

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $952 in Villa María, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,576 in Villa María, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,200 in Villa María, rent included.

Medellin costs about 8% more than Villa María, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Villa María are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Villa María 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$10.30 ARS 15.2K

-40.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$34.29 ARS 50.7K

-4.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.84 ARS 13.1K

-16.97%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.70 ARS 3,988

-36.30%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.63 ARS 2,416

-35.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.53 ARS 2,266

-49.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$2.08 ARS 3,071

-18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.94 ARS 4,350

7.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.31 ARS 1,942

-19.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.62 ARS 2,401

-19.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.96 ARS 2,899

-28.57%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$2.25 ARS 3,322

-4.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$10.20 ARS 15.1K

-56.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.37 ARS 9,417

-7.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

-6.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.95 ARS 2,877

16.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$2.14 ARS 3,162

-48.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.31 ARS 1,931

16.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.54 ARS 3,758

-46.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.19 ARS 1,753

-5.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.20 ARS 1,776

-5.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.25 ARS 1,850

-32.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.42 ARS 2,100

-35.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$3.22 ARS 4,760

-27.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$4.50 ARS 6,646

174.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.07 ARS 3,060

-42.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.14 ARS 4,635

-20.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.77 ARS 1,133

9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.46 ARS 2,164

-2.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.91 ARS 1,350

110.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$5.84 ARS 8,631

31.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.10 ARS 1,628

-10.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$27.2K ARS 40.2M

-33.74%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$29.9K ARS 44.2M

-10.99%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$67.4 ARS 99.6K

19.86%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$17.20 ARS 25.4K

-42.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$22.26 ARS 32.9K

8.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$25.84 ARS 38.2K

-2.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$13.50 ARS 20.0K

41.85%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.26 ARS 9,247

-36.42%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$219 ARS 324.2K

39.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$2,742 ARS 4.1M

120.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$73.0 ARS 107.9K

-20.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$69.1 ARS 102.1K

-53.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$116 ARS 171.8K

-13.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$110 ARS 162.9K

-2.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$343 ARS 507.5K

38.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$239 ARS 352.5K

57.70%

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

$528 ARS 780.1K

38.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,280 ARS 3.4M

41.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,514 ARS 2.2M

-9.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$471 ARS 695.7K

31.03%

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 Villa María: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $343 in Villa María. 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 31% higher in Medellin, 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 $34.00 in Villa María. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $231 – 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 Villa María: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 8%, 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 $1,428 in Villa María. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Villa María, 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 $34.00 in Villa María. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 20% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Villa María, where all-in costs run around $952, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Villa María it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Villa María – 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 Villa María. 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.