Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendoza and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendoza and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,341 per month in Mendoza vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,114 per month in Mendoza vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,887 per month in Mendoza vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Mendoza is about 22% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mendoza sits 2% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.13 ARS 16.8K

$8.03 COP 25.3K

38.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 ARS 76.9K

$48.26 COP 152.3K

5.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.90 ARS 22.5K

$9.77 COP 30.8K

52.51%

Cappuccino

$4.45 ARS 6,727

$2.91 COP 9,185

52.92%

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

$2.33 ARS 3,527

$1.94 COP 6,134

20.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ARS 2,976

$1.52 COP 4,801

29.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.09 ARS 6,179

$3.09 COP 9,759

32.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 ARS 6,719

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-22.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 ARS 2,117

$1.36 COP 4,304

2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 ARS 3,455

$2.39 COP 7,534

-4.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.78 ARS 4,206

$1.70 COP 5,366

63.53%

Eggs

$3.25 ARS 4,910

$2.87 COP 9,056

13.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.47 ARS 21.9K

$9.94 COP 31.4K

45.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.17 ARS 9,337

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-42.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 ARS 16.6K

$14.73 COP 46.5K

-25.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ARS 3,556

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-42.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 ARS 3,281

$1.57 COP 4,960

38.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ARS 1,974

$2.13 COP 6,708

-38.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 ARS 4,972

$2.21 COP 6,985

48.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 ARS 3,051

$2.05 COP 6,460

-1.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ARS 2,288

$1.50 COP 4,747

0.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 ARS 2,910

$1.19 COP 3,755

61.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 ARS 3,732

$1.16 COP 3,654

112.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 ARS 4,109

$3.90 COP 12.3K

-30.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.97 ARS 7,524

$14.44 COP 45.6K

-65.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ARS 2,709

$1.58 COP 4,997

13.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ARS 4,466

$2.83 COP 8,923

4.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 ARS 1,468

$1.17 COP 3,686

-17.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.74 ARS 29.9K

$77.7 COP 245.3K

-74.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 ARS 3,097

$1.28 COP 4,054

60.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ARS 1,540

$2.09 COP 6,602

-51.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.84 ARS 7,317

$8.62 COP 27.2K

-43.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ARS 1,821

$1.30 COP 4,096

-7.69%

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

$26.6K ARS 40.2M

$27.7K COP 87.3M

-3.81%

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

$32.8K ARS 49.5M

$35.5K COP 112.0M

-7.74%

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

$135 ARS 204.4K

$176 COP 555.6K

-23.25%

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

$17.47 ARS 26.4K

$13.37 COP 42.2K

30.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.78 ARS 36.0K

$29.89 COP 94.3K

-20.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.83 ARS 45.1K

$44.76 COP 141.2K

-33.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 ARS 27.7K

$17.06 COP 53.8K

7.39%

Cinema Ticket

$7.27 ARS 11.0K

$6.20 COP 19.6K

17.26%

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

$176 ARS 265.9K

$793 COP 2.5M

-77.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,124 ARS 6.2M

$9,019 COP 28.5M

-54.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 ARS 175.1K

$85.6 COP 270.1K

35.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$127 ARS 191.7K

$58.5 COP 184.5K

116.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$140 ARS 211.7K

$136 COP 430.1K

2.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 ARS 192.9K

$103 COP 325.4K

23.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 ARS 729.9K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-54.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 ARS 507.2K

$680 COP 2.1M

-50.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$876 ARS 1.3M

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-56.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$651 ARS 984.1K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-44.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,691 ARS 2.6M

$4,111 COP 13.0M

-58.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,112 ARS 1.7M

$1,701 COP 5.4M

-34.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$780 ARS 1.2M

$665 COP 2.1M

17.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

439.31%

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

Last update for Mendoza: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $483 in Mendoza versus $1,060 in Medellin. 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 17% higher in Mendoza, 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 $51.0 in Mendoza versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $286 in Mendoza vs $303 in Medellin – so Mendoza wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Mendoza vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 28%, 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 $2,011 per month in Mendoza and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mendoza, 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 $51.0 in Mendoza and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,341 in Mendoza and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mendoza, where all-in costs run around $1,341, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Mendoza it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mendoza – 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 Mendoza. 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.