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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,646 per month in Montevideo vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,495 per month in Montevideo vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,344 per month in Montevideo vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Montevideo costs about 62% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Montevideo sits 22% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.24 UYU 658

$5.95 COP 20.8K

172.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.0 UYU 2,272

$33.33 COP 116.3K

68.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.28 UYU 498

$7.23 COP 25.2K

69.85%

Cappuccino

$4.11 UYU 166

$1.63 COP 5,687

152.15%

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

$2.26 UYU 91.4

$1.09 COP 3,821

107.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 UYU 71.5

$0.73 COP 2,548

141.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.38 UYU 178

$1.74 COP 6,065

151.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 UYU 152

$3.23 COP 11.3K

15.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 UYU 48.94

$1.05 COP 3,662

15.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 UYU 115

$1.29 COP 4,515

120.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 UYU 67.6

$1.32 COP 4,617

26.52%

Eggs

$4.80 UYU 195

$2.27 COP 7,927

111.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.77 UYU 558

$4.35 COP 15.2K

216.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 UYU 439

$5.88 COP 20.5K

84.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.19 UYU 454

$8.61 COP 30.0K

29.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 UYU 126

$2.25 COP 7,844

37.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 UYU 97.1

$1.07 COP 3,733

123.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 UYU 60.8

$1.52 COP 5,322

-1.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.75 UYU 152

$1.42 COP 4,964

164.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 UYU 87.0

$1.17 COP 4,084

83.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 UYU 78.8

$1.17 COP 4,077

65.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 UYU 53.8

$0.89 COP 3,096

49.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 UYU 69.3

$0.90 COP 3,146

90.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.23 UYU 212

$2.25 COP 7,837

132.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.14 UYU 411

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-8.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 UYU 93.4

$1.14 COP 3,977

101.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 UYU 122

$2.38 COP 8,301

26.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 UYU 52.3

$0.84 COP 2,916

53.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.1 UYU 2,275

$41.95 COP 146.4K

33.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 UYU 63.1

$1.41 COP 4,912

10.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.47 UYU 141

$1.90 COP 6,634

82.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.35 UYU 501

$7.75 COP 27.0K

59.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 UYU 76.0

$1.01 COP 3,509

85.15%

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

$34.0K UYU 1.4M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

93.68%

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

$36.9K UYU 1.5M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

39.44%

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

$170 UYU 6,873

$83.7 COP 292.1K

102.61%

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

$16.98 UYU 688

$9.45 COP 33.0K

79.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.75 UYU 1,976

$24.11 COP 84.1K

102.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.0 UYU 2,512

$25.31 COP 88.3K

144.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.74 UYU 719

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-7.31%

Cinema Ticket

$10.40 UYU 422

$4.10 COP 14.3K

153.66%

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

$486 UYU 19.7K

$312 COP 1.1M

55.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,923 UYU 361.7K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

48.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.4 UYU 3,826

$58.0 COP 202.6K

62.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.75 UYU 1,895

$32.56 COP 113.6K

43.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 UYU 4,531

$99.6 COP 347.7K

12.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 UYU 5,009

$109 COP 378.8K

13.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 UYU 25.1K

$482 COP 1.7M

28.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 UYU 19.7K

$379 COP 1.3M

28.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 UYU 44.4K

$837 COP 2.9M

30.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$811 UYU 32.9K

$723 COP 2.5M

12.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,553 UYU 144.1K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

25.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,245 UYU 91.0K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

83.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,317 UYU 53.4K

$541 COP 1.9M

143.43%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Montevideo versus $482 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 143% 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 $56.0 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.

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 62%, 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 $2,469 per month in Montevideo and $1,525 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 $56.0 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 $1,646 in Montevideo and $1,017 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 $1,017, than in Montevideo at $1,646. 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.