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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,011 per month in Minas vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,616 per month in Minas vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,221 per month in Minas vs $2,200 in Medellin, rent included.

Minas is about 1% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.45 UYU 660

$5.93 COP 19.1K

177.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.5 UYU 2,228

$33.12 COP 106.6K

67.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.30 UYU 494

$7.12 COP 22.9K

72.75%

Cappuccino

$4.06 UYU 163

$1.71 COP 5,487

137.43%

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

$2.23 UYU 89.7

$1.05 COP 3,374

112.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 UYU 70.8

$0.72 COP 2,324

144.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.34 UYU 174

$1.72 COP 5,531

152.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 UYU 143

$3.17 COP 10.2K

12.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 UYU 48.43

$1.06 COP 3,426

14.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 UYU 115

$1.31 COP 4,215

119.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 UYU 63.7

$1.33 COP 4,279

19.55%

Eggs

$4.62 UYU 185

$2.28 COP 7,338

102.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 UYU 549

$4.42 COP 14.2K

209.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.82 UYU 434

$5.92 COP 19.0K

82.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 UYU 446

$8.64 COP 27.8K

28.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 UYU 120

$2.34 COP 7,545

27.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 UYU 94.9

$1.10 COP 3,546

114.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 UYU 62.6

$1.47 COP 4,724

6.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 UYU 149

$1.38 COP 4,439

169.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 UYU 87.0

$1.17 COP 3,774

85.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 UYU 75.6

$1.17 COP 3,765

60.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 UYU 52.3

$0.90 COP 2,905

44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 UYU 67.2

$0.84 COP 2,708

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.29 UYU 212

$2.33 COP 7,490

127.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.81 UYU 354

$11.92 COP 38.3K

-26.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 UYU 90.6

$1.15 COP 3,693

96.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 UYU 122

$2.42 COP 7,791

25.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,702

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 UYU 64.3

$1.41 COP 4,541

13.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.57 UYU 143

$1.91 COP 6,160

86.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.38 UYU 497

$7.83 COP 25.2K

58.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 UYU 76.7

$0.94 COP 3,037

103.19%

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

$34.6K UYU 1.4M

$17.8K COP 57.3M

93.91%

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

$35.7K UYU 1.4M

$27.1K COP 87.1M

31.80%

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

$171 UYU 6,852

$83.3 COP 267.9K

105.01%

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

$16.96 UYU 681

$9.66 COP 31.1K

75.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.21 UYU 1,976

$24.22 COP 77.9K

103.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

Cinema Ticket

$10.65 UYU 427

$4.07 COP 13.1K

161.67%

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

$484 UYU 19.4K

$307 COP 986.5K

57.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,745 UYU 351.0K

$5,981 COP 19.2M

46.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.8 UYU 3,767

$60.0 COP 192.9K

56.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.36 UYU 1,901

$32.65 COP 105.1K

45.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 UYU 4,536

$101 COP 325.2K

11.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 UYU 4,935

$108 COP 347.6K

13.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56.0 in Minas versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $319 vs $192 – 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 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 $1,517 per month in Minas and $1,527 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 $56.0 in Minas and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 66% 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 $1,011, than in Medellin at $1,018. 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.