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 $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,006 per month in Mercedes vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,682 per month in Mercedes vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Mercedes costs about 31% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mercedes and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Mercedes 1% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 UYU 641

$5.99 COP 21.4K

165.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 UYU 2,173

$32.86 COP 117.2K

64.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.14 UYU 489

$7.09 COP 25.3K

71.23%

Cappuccino

$4.25 UYU 171

$1.71 COP 6,105

148.54%

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

$2.18 UYU 88.0

$1.10 COP 3,918

98.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 UYU 67.6

$0.78 COP 2,776

115.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.37 UYU 176

$1.68 COP 5,987

160.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 UYU 145

$3.07 COP 10.9K

17.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 UYU 48.84

$1.09 COP 3,899

11.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 UYU 111

$1.26 COP 4,500

118.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 UYU 56.7

$1.38 COP 4,914

2.17%

Eggs

$2.74 UYU 110

$2.19 COP 7,813

25.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.51 UYU 544

$4.40 COP 15.7K

207.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.80 UYU 435

$5.63 COP 20.1K

91.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.38 UYU 297

$8.89 COP 31.7K

-16.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 UYU 76.5

$2.34 COP 8,334

-18.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 UYU 96.2

$1.06 COP 3,771

125.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.11 UYU 44.79

$1.50 COP 5,365

-26.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 UYU 115

$1.38 COP 4,915

106.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 UYU 81.4

$1.15 COP 4,104

75.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 UYU 75.8

$1.16 COP 4,148

62.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 UYU 54.8

$0.89 COP 3,176

52.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 UYU 67.8

$0.84 COP 2,992

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.90 UYU 197

$2.28 COP 8,131

114.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.91 UYU 399

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-6.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 UYU 94.8

$1.20 COP 4,276

95.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 UYU 117

$2.47 COP 8,809

17.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 UYU 47.69

$0.86 COP 3,051

37.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.25 UYU 1,742

$41.40 COP 147.6K

4.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 UYU 58.2

$1.47 COP 5,255

-2.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 UYU 63.2

$1.96 COP 6,997

-19.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.81 UYU 435

$7.74 COP 27.6K

39.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 UYU 72.7

$0.95 COP 3,403

90.53%

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

$33.6K UYU 1.4M

$18.1K COP 64.6M

85.28%

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

$36.5K UYU 1.5M

$26.5K COP 94.4M

37.75%

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

$173 UYU 6,959

$82.3 COP 293.2K

110.09%

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

$16.62 UYU 669

$9.50 COP 33.9K

74.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.63 UYU 1,999

$24.23 COP 86.4K

104.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$10.34 UYU 416

$3.93 COP 14.0K

163.10%

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

$484 UYU 19.5K

$309 COP 1.1M

56.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,751 UYU 352.4K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

46.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.1 UYU 3,871

$58.7 COP 209.1K

63.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.43 UYU 1,910

$32.35 COP 115.3K

46.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 UYU 4,504

$103 COP 365.7K

9.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 UYU 4,958

$108 COP 386.5K

13.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$552 UYU 22.2K

$476 COP 1.7M

15.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 UYU 11.9K

$379 COP 1.4M

-21.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$617 UYU 24.9K

$838 COP 3.0M

-26.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 UYU 17.6K

$724 COP 2.6M

-39.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $552 in Mercedes versus $476 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 $54.0 in Mercedes versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $188 – 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 31%, 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 $1,519 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 $54.0 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 $1,013 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 $1,013, 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.