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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,749 per month in Montevideo vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,666 per month in Montevideo vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,582 per month in Montevideo vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Montevideo costs about 4% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Montevideo and Medellin sit above the global median – Montevideo by 28%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.25 UYU 613

$8.02 COP 25.0K

90.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.3 UYU 2,503

$47.87 COP 149.4K

30.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.86 UYU 557

$9.89 COP 30.8K

40.14%

Cappuccino

$4.39 UYU 176

$3.13 COP 9,767

40.26%

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

$2.77 UYU 111

$1.91 COP 5,954

45.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 UYU 81.4

$1.51 COP 4,712

34.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 UYU 199

$3.12 COP 9,747

58.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 UYU 147

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-36.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 UYU 55.3

$1.44 COP 4,509

-4.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 UYU 113

$2.49 COP 7,759

12.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 UYU 69.3

$1.77 COP 5,535

-2.26%

Eggs

$4.74 UYU 191

$2.96 COP 9,235

60.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 UYU 545

$10.07 COP 31.4K

34.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.51 UYU 463

$10.12 COP 31.6K

13.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.75 UYU 472

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-17.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 UYU 114

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-31.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 UYU 111

$1.61 COP 5,019

71.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 UYU 68.9

$2.25 COP 7,007

-24.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.12 UYU 126

$2.25 COP 7,028

38.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 UYU 79.3

$2.04 COP 6,375

-3.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 UYU 86.5

$1.54 COP 4,790

39.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 UYU 54.4

$1.17 COP 3,651

15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 UYU 77.4

$1.31 COP 4,077

46.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 UYU 225

$3.90 COP 12.2K

43.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 UYU 331

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-41.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 UYU 93.6

$1.74 COP 5,439

33.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 UYU 115

$2.87 COP 8,956

-0.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 UYU 61.7

$1.22 COP 3,792

25.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.6 UYU 2,998

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-7.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 UYU 72.7

$1.31 COP 4,084

38.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 UYU 17.67

$2.19 COP 6,825

-79.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.69 UYU 430

$8.71 COP 27.2K

22.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 UYU 89.0

$1.37 COP 4,260

61.31%

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

$27.5K UYU 1.1M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

-1.23%

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

$37.8K UYU 1.5M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

5.69%

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

$192 UYU 7,721

$177 COP 553.2K

8.35%

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

$18.93 UYU 761

$13.88 COP 43.3K

36.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.31 UYU 1,821

$29.72 COP 92.8K

52.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 UYU 2,074

$44.88 COP 140.1K

14.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.68 UYU 791

$17.12 COP 53.4K

14.95%

Cinema Ticket

$11.95 UYU 480

$6.65 COP 20.7K

79.70%

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

$608 UYU 24.4K

$813 COP 2.5M

-25.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K UYU 429.3K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

16.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 UYU 4,030

$89.5 COP 279.3K

12.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 UYU 2,279

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-3.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 UYU 4,994

$138 COP 431.2K

-10.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 UYU 5,330

$102 COP 318.7K

29.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 UYU 29.6K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-30.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 UYU 23.0K

$663 COP 2.1M

-13.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,165 UYU 46.8K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-38.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$947 UYU 38.1K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-7.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,415 UYU 137.3K

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-18.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,873 UYU 75.3K

$1,675 COP 5.2M

11.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,164 UYU 46.8K

$678 COP 2.1M

71.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.6

10.94

-48.81%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Montevideo: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $737 in Montevideo versus $1,062 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 72% 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 $62.0 in Montevideo versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $305 – 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 4%, 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 $2,624 per month in Montevideo and $2,521 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 $62.0 in Montevideo and $48.00 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 $1,749 in Montevideo and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Montevideo at $1,749. 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.