Cost of Living Comparison Between Paso de los Libres and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Paso de los Libres and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,183 per month in Paso de los Libres vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,009 per month in Paso de los Libres vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,835 per month in Paso de los Libres vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Paso de los Libres is about 31% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Paso de los Libres sits 14% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.76 ARS 23.8K

$8.03 COP 25.2K

96.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.6 ARS 86.9K

$48.26 COP 151.7K

19.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.03 ARS 21.2K

$9.77 COP 30.7K

43.60%

Cappuccino

$4.02 ARS 6,059

$2.91 COP 9,149

38.14%

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

$1.80 ARS 2,712

$1.94 COP 6,110

-7.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ARS 2,830

$1.52 COP 4,783

23.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 ARS 5,535

$3.09 COP 9,721

18.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ARS 5,536

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-36.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ARS 1,870

$1.36 COP 4,287

-8.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 ARS 3,454

$2.39 COP 7,505

-4.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 ARS 2,327

$1.70 COP 5,346

-9.41%

Eggs

$2.55 ARS 3,844

$2.87 COP 9,021

-11.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.83 ARS 14.8K

$9.94 COP 31.2K

-1.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.73 ARS 10.2K

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-37.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.89 ARS 16.4K

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-26.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 ARS 3,137

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-49.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 ARS 3,745

$1.57 COP 4,940

57.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 ARS 1,908

$2.13 COP 6,682

-40.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ARS 3,445

$2.21 COP 6,959

3.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 ARS 1,542

$2.05 COP 6,435

-50.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 ARS 1,324

$1.50 COP 4,728

-41.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 ARS 2,487

$1.19 COP 3,740

38.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ARS 2,683

$1.16 COP 3,640

53.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 ARS 5,024

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-14.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.56 ARS 8,381

$14.44 COP 45.4K

-61.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 ARS 3,078

$1.58 COP 4,978

29.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ARS 3,999

$2.83 COP 8,889

-6.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 ARS 1,697

$1.17 COP 3,672

-3.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 ARS 2,099

$1.28 COP 4,038

8.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 ARS 1,727

$2.09 COP 6,576

-44.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 ARS 12.5K

$8.62 COP 27.1K

-3.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ARS 1,902

$1.30 COP 4,080

-3.08%

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

$23.7K ARS 35.8M

$27.7K COP 86.9M

-14.23%

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

$34.2K ARS 51.5M

$35.5K COP 111.6M

-3.79%

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

$76.4 ARS 115.2K

$176 COP 553.4K

-56.63%

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

$18.74 ARS 28.3K

$13.37 COP 42.0K

40.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.69 ARS 40.3K

$29.89 COP 94.0K

-10.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.32 ARS 44.2K

$44.76 COP 140.7K

-34.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$8.36 ARS 12.6K

$6.20 COP 19.5K

34.84%

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

$261 ARS 392.9K

$793 COP 2.5M

-67.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,664 ARS 5.5M

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-59.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$122 ARS 184.6K

$85.6 COP 269.1K

43.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.2 ARS 116.4K

$58.5 COP 183.8K

32.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ARS 173.3K

$136 COP 428.4K

-15.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 ARS 180.9K

$103 COP 324.1K

16.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$468 ARS 705.5K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-55.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 ARS 470.5K

$680 COP 2.1M

-54.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$953 ARS 1.4M

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-52.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$691 ARS 1.0M

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-40.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,140 ARS 3.2M

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-47.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

56.56

10.94

417.00%

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

Last update for Paso de los Libres: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $468 in Paso de los Libres versus $1,060 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Paso de los Libres versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Paso de los Libres vs $303 in Medellin – so Paso de los Libres wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Paso de los Libres vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 45%, 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 $1,775 per month in Paso de los Libres and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Paso de los Libres, 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 $58.0 in Paso de los Libres and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Paso de los Libres, where all-in costs run around $1,183, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Paso de los Libres it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Paso de los Libres – 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 Paso de los Libres. 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.