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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,069 per month in Minas vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,689 per month in Minas vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,309 per month in Minas vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Minas is about 35% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Minas sits 22% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.23 UYU 613

$8.04 COP 25.0K

89.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 UYU 2,547

$48.29 COP 149.9K

31.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.97 UYU 562

$9.42 COP 29.3K

48.30%

Cappuccino

$4.37 UYU 176

$2.94 COP 9,120

48.64%

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

$2.81 UYU 113

$1.86 COP 5,786

51.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 UYU 79.3

$1.46 COP 4,519

34.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.79 UYU 193

$3.21 COP 9,969

49.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 UYU 154

$5.71 COP 17.7K

-32.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 UYU 53.0

$1.44 COP 4,467

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.80 UYU 113

$2.40 COP 7,454

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 UYU 73.2

$1.70 COP 5,274

7.06%

Eggs

$4.92 UYU 198

$2.89 COP 8,975

70.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.02 UYU 564

$10.06 COP 31.2K

39.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.39 UYU 458

$9.97 COP 31.0K

14.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.00 UYU 483

$14.20 COP 44.1K

-15.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 UYU 115

$3.98 COP 12.4K

-28.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 UYU 116

$1.58 COP 4,921

82.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 UYU 68.6

$2.15 COP 6,682

-20.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.09 UYU 124

$2.30 COP 7,141

34.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 UYU 81.7

$2.00 COP 6,223

1.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 UYU 89.2

$1.51 COP 4,687

47.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 UYU 57.5

$1.20 COP 3,734

19.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 UYU 79.8

$1.28 COP 3,981

54.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.49 UYU 221

$3.84 COP 11.9K

42.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.51 UYU 342

$14.01 COP 43.5K

-39.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 UYU 94.8

$1.71 COP 5,302

38.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 UYU 113

$2.74 COP 8,515

2.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 UYU 30.73

$1.25 COP 3,868

-39.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 241.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 UYU 74.0

$1.31 COP 4,052

40.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 UYU 16.15

$2.17 COP 6,739

-81.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.55 UYU 424

$8.29 COP 25.8K

27.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 UYU 86.5

$1.36 COP 4,209

58.09%

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

$27.2K UYU 1.1M

$27.5K COP 85.3M

-0.88%

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

$37.7K UYU 1.5M

$36.5K COP 113.4M

3.15%

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

$191 UYU 7,685

$169 COP 523.8K

13.23%

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

$17.49 UYU 704

$13.57 COP 42.1K

28.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.78 UYU 1,761

$28.32 COP 87.9K

54.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 141.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.5K

Cinema Ticket

$12.07 UYU 486

$6.65 COP 20.6K

81.50%

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

$603 UYU 24.2K

$803 COP 2.5M

-24.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K UYU 422.9K

$9,190 COP 28.5M

14.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.3 UYU 3,874

$87.4 COP 271.2K

10.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.6 UYU 2,234

$59.4 COP 184.3K

-6.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 UYU 4,852

$139 COP 431.3K

-13.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 UYU 5,380

$102 COP 316.8K

31.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.3M

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 Minas: September 5, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Minas versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $300 – 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 54%, 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 $1,603 per month in Minas and $2,462 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 $63.0 in Minas and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Minas, where all-in costs run around $1,069, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Minas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Minas – 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 Minas. 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.