Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Montevideo vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,510 per month in Montevideo vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,381 per month in Montevideo vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Montevideo costs about 64% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Montevideo sits 23% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.87 UYU 638

$5.91 COP 18.6K

168.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.8 UYU 2,205

$32.96 COP 103.8K

66.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.19 UYU 490

$7.43 COP 23.4K

64.06%

Cappuccino

$4.14 UYU 167

$1.65 COP 5,207

150.91%

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

$2.25 UYU 90.3

$1.10 COP 3,468

104.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 UYU 71.6

$0.78 COP 2,458

128.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.48 UYU 180

$1.72 COP 5,412

160.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 UYU 151

$3.18 COP 10.0K

18.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 UYU 51.1

$1.10 COP 3,474

15.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 UYU 116

$1.26 COP 3,962

127.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 UYU 66.7

$1.38 COP 4,349

20.29%

Eggs

$4.91 UYU 197

$2.18 COP 6,858

125.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.80 UYU 555

$4.49 COP 14.1K

207.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.67 UYU 429

$5.79 COP 18.2K

84.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.88 UYU 437

$8.97 COP 28.2K

21.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 UYU 125

$2.32 COP 7,308

34.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 UYU 97.4

$1.06 COP 3,352

128.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 UYU 60.1

$1.52 COP 4,774

-1.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.69 UYU 148

$1.36 COP 4,270

171.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 UYU 87.2

$1.13 COP 3,552

92.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 UYU 78.7

$1.17 COP 3,689

67.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 UYU 53.0

$0.90 COP 2,838

46.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 UYU 67.8

$0.90 COP 2,823

87.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.29 UYU 213

$2.23 COP 7,034

137.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.82 UYU 355

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-27.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 UYU 92.4

$1.19 COP 3,743

93.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 UYU 119

$2.48 COP 7,815

19.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 UYU 52.3

$0.85 COP 2,687

52.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.1 UYU 2,217

$41.62 COP 131.0K

32.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 UYU 62.7

$1.42 COP 4,459

9.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.44 UYU 138

$1.95 COP 6,141

76.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.55 UYU 504

$7.89 COP 24.8K

59.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 UYU 75.6

$0.99 COP 3,118

89.90%

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

$34.3K UYU 1.4M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

94.70%

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

$36.7K UYU 1.5M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

36.89%

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

$175 UYU 7,043

$83.0 COP 261.4K

111.03%

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

$16.34 UYU 657

$9.70 COP 30.5K

68.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.56 UYU 1,993

$23.52 COP 74.1K

110.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.9 UYU 2,449

$25.26 COP 79.5K

141.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.09 UYU 687

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-10.52%

Cinema Ticket

$10.39 UYU 418

$3.95 COP 12.4K

163.04%

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

$487 UYU 19.6K

$316 COP 994.2K

54.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,026 UYU 362.9K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

51.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.4 UYU 3,796

$60.0 COP 188.9K

57.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.73 UYU 1,919

$31.82 COP 100.2K

50.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 UYU 4,583

$102 COP 320.1K

12.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 UYU 4,887

$107 COP 338.3K

13.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 UYU 24.7K

$475 COP 1.5M

29.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 UYU 19.4K

$374 COP 1.2M

29.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 UYU 44.0K

$849 COP 2.7M

28.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$828 UYU 33.3K

$719 COP 2.3M

15.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,586 UYU 144.2K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

9.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,284 UYU 91.8K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

58.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,283 UYU 51.6K

$624 COP 2.0M

105.46%

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 Montevideo: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $614 in Montevideo versus $475 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 105% 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: $321 vs $193 – 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

Montevideo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 64%, 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 $2,459 per month in Montevideo and $1,504 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Montevideo and $1,003 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Montevideo at $1,639. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo 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, Montevideo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.