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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,047 per month in Minas vs $1,030 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,633 per month in Minas vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,219 per month in Minas vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Minas costs about 2% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Minas and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Minas 22% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 UYU 633

$5.92 COP 21.2K

168.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.2 UYU 2,198

$33.17 COP 118.7K

66.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.14 UYU 483

$7.25 COP 25.9K

67.45%

Cappuccino

$4.14 UYU 165

$1.71 COP 6,137

142.11%

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

$2.23 UYU 88.7

$1.09 COP 3,915

104.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 UYU 70.6

$0.77 COP 2,743

131.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.48 UYU 178

$1.75 COP 6,254

156.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 UYU 150

$3.18 COP 11.4K

18.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 UYU 50.3

$1.06 COP 3,792

18.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 UYU 115

$1.30 COP 4,657

122.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 UYU 65.3

$1.38 COP 4,926

18.84%

Eggs

$4.81 UYU 191

$2.21 COP 7,908

117.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.41 UYU 534

$4.52 COP 16.2K

196.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.92 UYU 435

$5.80 COP 20.7K

88.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 UYU 443

$8.97 COP 32.1K

24.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 UYU 121

$2.29 COP 8,182

32.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 UYU 94.8

$1.06 COP 3,791

124.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 UYU 60.0

$1.51 COP 5,411

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 UYU 148

$1.36 COP 4,869

173.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 UYU 83.8

$1.16 COP 4,146

81.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 UYU 75.3

$1.17 COP 4,174

61.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 UYU 51.9

$0.83 COP 2,960

57.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 UYU 69.4

$0.85 COP 3,043

104.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.29 UYU 210

$2.35 COP 8,423

125.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 UYU 405

$11.09 COP 39.7K

-8.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 UYU 90.5

$1.15 COP 4,133

97.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 UYU 116

$2.47 COP 8,853

17.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 UYU 61.3

$1.44 COP 5,140

6.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.48 UYU 138

$1.90 COP 6,793

83.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.08 UYU 481

$7.70 COP 27.6K

56.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 UYU 74.8

$1.03 COP 3,680

82.52%

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

$34.9K UYU 1.4M

$17.7K COP 63.3M

97.35%

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

$36.0K UYU 1.4M

$27.0K COP 96.7M

33.19%

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

$170 UYU 6,778

$81.4 COP 291.4K

109.24%

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

$16.70 UYU 664

$9.42 COP 33.7K

77.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.91 UYU 1,986

$23.77 COP 85.1K

109.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

Cinema Ticket

$10.47 UYU 417

$4.05 COP 14.5K

158.52%

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

$490 UYU 19.5K

$312 COP 1.1M

56.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,916 UYU 354.8K

$6,067 COP 21.7M

46.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.4 UYU 3,716

$58.9 COP 210.7K

58.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.65 UYU 1,856

$32.82 COP 117.5K

42.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 UYU 4,608

$100 COP 359.6K

15.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 UYU 4,961

$106 COP 380.3K

17.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $0 in Minas versus $490 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 in Minas versus $33 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $324 vs $190 – 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 2%, 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 $1,571 per month in Minas and $1,544 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 70% 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 $1,030, than in Minas at $1,047. 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.