Cost of Living Comparison Between Mercedes and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Mercedes and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,330 per month in Mercedes vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,020 per month in Mercedes vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,710 per month in Mercedes vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Mercedes costs about 29% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mercedes sits 0% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.82 UYU 636

$6.16 COP 20.1K

156.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 UYU 2,216

$32.60 COP 106.1K

68.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.37 UYU 498

$7.34 COP 23.9K

68.53%

Cappuccino

$4.27 UYU 172

$1.72 COP 5,600

148.26%

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

$2.26 UYU 90.8

$1.05 COP 3,420

115.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 UYU 68.3

$0.77 COP 2,515

120.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.44 UYU 179

$1.69 COP 5,488

162.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 UYU 151

$3.17 COP 10.3K

18.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 UYU 51.1

$1.05 COP 3,423

20.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 UYU 115

$1.30 COP 4,236

119.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 UYU 58.0

$1.40 COP 4,544

2.86%

Eggs

$2.62 UYU 105

$2.16 COP 7,047

21.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.76 UYU 554

$4.39 COP 14.3K

213.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 UYU 436

$5.88 COP 19.1K

84.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.42 UYU 298

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-14.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 UYU 80.0

$2.28 COP 7,426

-12.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 UYU 99.4

$1.11 COP 3,604

122.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 UYU 43.20

$1.53 COP 4,983

-30.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.01 UYU 121

$1.35 COP 4,410

122.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 UYU 84.8

$1.13 COP 3,674

86.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 UYU 76.2

$1.13 COP 3,692

67.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 UYU 53.2

$0.85 COP 2,753

55.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 UYU 65.5

$0.91 COP 2,975

79.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.92 UYU 198

$2.34 COP 7,630

110.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.92 UYU 359

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-27.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 UYU 94.4

$1.20 COP 3,909

95.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 UYU 121

$2.49 COP 8,104

20.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 UYU 47.71

$0.84 COP 2,728

41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.60 UYU 1,754

$40.57 COP 132.1K

7.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 UYU 59.9

$1.42 COP 4,623

4.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 UYU 62.3

$1.92 COP 6,235

-19.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.85 UYU 436

$7.66 COP 24.9K

41.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 UYU 73.9

$0.99 COP 3,223

85.86%

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

$33.9K UYU 1.4M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

88.11%

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

$35.6K UYU 1.4M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

33.84%

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

$174 UYU 6,984

$80.8 COP 263.1K

114.82%

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

$16.81 UYU 676

$9.95 COP 32.4K

68.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.93 UYU 1,968

$24.18 COP 78.7K

102.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$10.33 UYU 416

$3.98 COP 13.0K

159.55%

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

$486 UYU 19.5K

$305 COP 993.5K

59.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,853 UYU 356.2K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

46.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.0 UYU 3,862

$58.1 COP 189.2K

65.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.96 UYU 1,930

$32.20 COP 104.8K

48.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 UYU 4,570

$101 COP 327.9K

12.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 UYU 5,011

$108 COP 350.8K

15.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$566 UYU 22.8K

$477 COP 1.6M

18.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 UYU 11.6K

$376 COP 1.2M

-23.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$620 UYU 24.9K

$845 COP 2.7M

-26.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 UYU 17.7K

$730 COP 2.4M

-39.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.68

13.43

-57.71%

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

Last update for Mercedes: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $566 in Mercedes versus $477 in Medellin. 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 $55.0 in Mercedes versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 vs $193 – 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

Mercedes vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mercedes is pricier by about 29%, 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 $1,996 per month in Mercedes and $1,546 in Medellin. 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 $55.0 in Mercedes and $33.00 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 $1,330 in Mercedes and $1,031 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Mercedes at $1,330. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mercedes 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, Mercedes makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.