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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,300 per month in Mercedes vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,012 per month in Mercedes vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,725 per month in Mercedes vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Mercedes is about 21% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mercedes sits 6% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.87 UYU 598

$8.04 COP 24.8K

84.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 UYU 2,543

$48.29 COP 148.6K

30.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 UYU 531

$9.42 COP 29.0K

40.02%

Cappuccino

$4.60 UYU 185

$2.94 COP 9,040

56.46%

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

$2.68 UYU 108

$1.86 COP 5,735

44.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 UYU 76.4

$1.46 COP 4,479

30.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.73 UYU 191

$3.21 COP 9,882

47.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 UYU 151

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-34.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 UYU 54.2

$1.44 COP 4,428

-6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 UYU 113

$2.40 COP 7,389

17.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 UYU 57.5

$1.70 COP 5,228

-15.88%

Eggs

$2.80 UYU 113

$2.89 COP 8,896

-3.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.87 UYU 558

$10.06 COP 30.9K

37.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.66 UYU 469

$9.97 COP 30.7K

16.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.52 UYU 303

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-47.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 UYU 80.3

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-49.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 UYU 99.8

$1.58 COP 4,878

56.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 UYU 46.42

$2.15 COP 6,624

-46.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 UYU 117

$2.30 COP 7,078

26.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 UYU 83.5

$2.00 COP 6,169

3.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 UYU 82.9

$1.51 COP 4,646

36.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 UYU 56.2

$1.20 COP 3,701

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 UYU 69.1

$1.28 COP 3,946

34.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.11 UYU 206

$3.84 COP 11.8K

33.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.03 UYU 323

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-42.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 UYU 95.2

$1.71 COP 5,256

38.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 UYU 111

$2.74 COP 8,440

1.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 UYU 75.5

$1.31 COP 4,016

43.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 UYU 17.55

$2.17 COP 6,680

-79.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.69 UYU 430

$8.29 COP 25.5K

28.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 UYU 86.1

$1.36 COP 4,172

57.35%

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

$27.0K UYU 1.1M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-1.90%

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

$37.5K UYU 1.5M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

2.64%

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

$188 UYU 7,581

$169 COP 519.2K

11.62%

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

$17.26 UYU 695

$13.57 COP 41.8K

27.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.75 UYU 1,802

$28.32 COP 87.2K

58.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$11.96 UYU 482

$6.65 COP 20.5K

79.85%

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

$629 UYU 25.3K

$803 COP 2.5M

-21.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K UYU 422.9K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

14.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.7 UYU 3,853

$87.4 COP 268.8K

9.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.3 UYU 2,268

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-5.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 UYU 4,860

$139 COP 427.5K

-13.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 UYU 5,223

$102 COP 314.0K

27.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$565 UYU 22.7K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-47.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 UYU 12.2K

$653 COP 2.0M

-53.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$633 UYU 25.5K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-67.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 UYU 17.8K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-57.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,044 UYU 122.5K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-26.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,023 UYU 81.4K

$1,697 COP 5.2M

19.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.49

10.94

-49.82%

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

Last update for Mercedes: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $565 in Mercedes versus $1,071 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 $63.0 in Mercedes versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $295 in Mercedes vs $300 in Medellin – so Mercedes 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

Mercedes vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 26%, 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 $1,950 per month in Mercedes and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mercedes, 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 $63.0 in Mercedes and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mercedes, where all-in costs run around $1,300, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Mercedes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mercedes – 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 Mercedes. 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.