Cost of Living Comparison Between Minas and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Minas and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,025 per month in Minas vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,637 per month in Minas vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,248 per month in Minas vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Minas costs about 1% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Minas and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Minas 23% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.09 UYU 648

$5.99 COP 21.5K

168.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 UYU 2,201

$32.86 COP 118.1K

66.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.17 UYU 490

$7.09 COP 25.5K

71.65%

Cappuccino

$4.11 UYU 165

$1.71 COP 6,154

140.35%

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

$2.20 UYU 88.4

$1.10 COP 3,949

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 UYU 70.5

$0.78 COP 2,798

124.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.28 UYU 172

$1.68 COP 6,035

154.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 UYU 146

$3.07 COP 11.0K

17.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 UYU 50.1

$1.09 COP 3,930

14.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 UYU 115

$1.26 COP 4,536

126.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 UYU 64.2

$1.38 COP 4,953

15.22%

Eggs

$4.81 UYU 193

$2.19 COP 7,876

119.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.58 UYU 547

$4.40 COP 15.8K

208.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.97 UYU 442

$5.63 COP 20.2K

94.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.19 UYU 450

$8.89 COP 32.0K

25.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 UYU 124

$2.34 COP 8,401

31.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 UYU 95.6

$1.06 COP 3,801

123.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 UYU 63.3

$1.50 COP 5,408

4.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.66 UYU 148

$1.38 COP 4,955

165.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 UYU 84.1

$1.15 COP 4,137

81.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 UYU 76.4

$1.16 COP 4,181

63.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 UYU 53.5

$0.89 COP 3,202

49.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 UYU 69.3

$0.84 COP 3,016

104.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.23 UYU 211

$2.28 COP 8,196

129.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.96 UYU 401

$10.64 COP 38.2K

-6.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 UYU 92.6

$1.20 COP 4,311

91.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 UYU 118

$2.47 COP 8,880

19.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,075

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 148.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 UYU 62.6

$1.47 COP 5,297

5.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.46 UYU 139

$1.96 COP 7,053

76.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.36 UYU 498

$7.74 COP 27.8K

59.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 UYU 73.4

$0.95 COP 3,430

91.58%

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

$34.8K UYU 1.4M

$18.1K COP 65.2M

91.91%

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

$36.7K UYU 1.5M

$26.5K COP 95.2M

38.63%

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

$169 UYU 6,820

$82.3 COP 295.6K

105.98%

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

$16.49 UYU 664

$9.50 COP 34.1K

73.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.76 UYU 2,003

$24.23 COP 87.1K

105.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 93.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$10.56 UYU 425

$3.93 COP 14.1K

168.70%

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

$487 UYU 19.6K

$309 COP 1.1M

57.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,082 UYU 365.6K

$5,965 COP 21.4M

52.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.8 UYU 3,734

$58.7 COP 210.8K

58.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.58 UYU 1,915

$32.35 COP 116.2K

47.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 UYU 4,668

$103 COP 368.7K

13.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 UYU 4,876

$108 COP 389.6K

11.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.4M

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 Minas: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Minas versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $323 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

Minas vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Minas is pricier by about 1%, 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 $1,538 per month in Minas and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Minas and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 72% more in Minas, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Minas at $1,025. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Minas 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, Minas makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.