😐A single person spends $1,677 per month in Montevideo vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,515 per month in Montevideo vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,353 per month in Montevideo vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.
😐Montevideo costs about 62% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Montevideo sits 25% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Montevideo
Medellin
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.11UYU 641
$5.92COP 21.4K
172.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.9UYU 2,185
$32.75COP 118.2K
67.69%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$12.04UYU 479
$7.20COP 26.0K
67.22%
Cappuccino
$4.26UYU 170
$1.70COP 6,140
150.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20UYU 87.4
$1.10COP 3,966
100.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69UYU 67.4
$0.72COP 2,605
134.72%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.29UYU 171
$1.67COP 6,022
156.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.60UYU 143
$3.10COP 11.2K
16.13%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
Medellin
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.26UYU 50.0
$1.06COP 3,809
18.87%
White Bread(500g)
$2.81UYU 112
$1.25COP 4,497
124.80%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.65UYU 65.5
$1.39COP 5,022
18.71%
Eggs
$4.92UYU 196
$2.26COP 8,168
117.70%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.49UYU 537
$4.33COP 15.6K
211.55%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.73UYU 427
$5.84COP 21.1K
83.73%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.19UYU 445
$8.83COP 31.9K
26.73%
Apples(1kg)
$3.12UYU 124
$2.24COP 8,099
39.29%
Banana(1kg)
$2.48UYU 98.5
$1.08COP 3,882
129.63%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.55UYU 61.7
$1.53COP 5,522
1.31%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.74UYU 149
$1.37COP 4,950
172.99%
Potato(1kg)
$2.15UYU 85.6
$1.13COP 4,078
90.27%
Onion(1kg)
$1.89UYU 75.1
$1.12COP 4,036
68.75%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.36UYU 54.2
$0.85COP 3,057
60.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.66UYU 66.1
$0.91COP 3,281
82.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.07UYU 202
$2.33COP 8,414
117.60%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.18UYU 405
$11.13COP 40.2K
-8.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.36UYU 93.8
$1.19COP 4,309
98.32%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.94UYU 117
$2.37COP 8,553
24.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Montevideo
Medellin
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.29UYU 51.1
$0.79COP 2,838
63.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$55.9UYU 2,222
$41.13COP 148.5K
35.81%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.54UYU 61.3
$1.44COP 5,184
6.94%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.48UYU 138
$1.91COP 6,901
82.20%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$12.29UYU 489
$8.02COP 28.9K
53.24%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.82UYU 72.4
$0.94COP 3,385
93.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7KUYU 1.3M
$17.9KCOP 64.7M
88.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.0KUYU 1.5M
$26.8KCOP 96.7M
38.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
Medellin
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$173UYU 6,863
$84.0COP 303.1K
105.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.74UYU 666
$9.60COP 34.7K
74.37%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.89UYU 1,945
$24.16COP 87.2K
102.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
Medellin
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.4UYU 2,442
$25.88COP 93.4K
137.17%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.46UYU 695
$19.04COP 68.7K
-8.30%
Cinema Ticket
$10.66UYU 424
$3.92COP 14.1K
171.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montevideo
Medellin
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$477UYU 19.0K
$306COP 1.1M
55.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,942UYU 355.7K
$5,919COP 21.4M
51.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
Medellin
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.9UYU 3,737
$57.9COP 209.1K
62.22%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.23UYU 1,919
$31.82COP 114.9K
51.57%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$112UYU 4,448
$99.9COP 360.6K
11.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125UYU 4,978
$107COP 386.8K
16.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
Medellin
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$626UYU 24.9K
$487COP 1.8M
28.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$494UYU 19.6K
$368COP 1.3M
34.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,085UYU 43.2K
$826COP 3.0M
31.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$806UYU 32.1K
$716COP 2.6M
12.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,508UYU 139.5K
$2,925COP 10.6M
19.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,251UYU 89.5K
$1,407COP 5.1M
60.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montevideo
Medellin
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,245UYU 49.5K
$546COP 2.0M
128.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.68
13.43
-57.71%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Montevideo: April 26, 2026
Última actualización para Medellin: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Montevideo versus $487 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 128% higher in Montevideo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Montevideo versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $324 vs $190 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Montevideo vs Medellin: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Medellin cheaper than Montevideo?
Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 62%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,515 per month in Montevideo and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Montevideo or Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Montevideo and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Montevideo vs Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,677 in Montevideo and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Montevideo or Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Montevideo at $1,677. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Montevideo or Medellin more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Montevideo or Medellin?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montevideo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Montevideo vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado