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 $984 per month in Paso de los Libres vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,593 per month in Paso de los Libres vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,201 per month in Paso de los Libres vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Paso de los Libres is about 4% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Paso de los Libres and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Paso de los Libres 26% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.46 ARS 15.5K

$6.16 COP 20.1K

69.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.11 ARS 50.4K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

4.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.79 ARS 13.0K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

19.75%

Cappuccino

$2.74 ARS 4,052

$1.72 COP 5,600

59.30%

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

$1.65 ARS 2,436

$1.05 COP 3,420

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ARS 2,273

$0.77 COP 2,515

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 ARS 3,212

$1.69 COP 5,488

28.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ARS 4,538

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-3.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ARS 1,873

$1.05 COP 3,423

20.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ARS 2,312

$1.30 COP 4,236

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 ARS 2,907

$1.40 COP 4,544

40.71%

Eggs

$2.21 ARS 3,266

$2.16 COP 7,047

2.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 ARS 15.1K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

132.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 ARS 9,254

$5.88 COP 19.1K

6.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.58 ARS 14.2K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

10.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 ARS 3,003

$2.28 COP 7,426

-10.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 ARS 3,051

$1.11 COP 3,604

85.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ARS 1,891

$1.53 COP 4,983

-16.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 ARS 3,756

$1.35 COP 4,410

88.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,760

$1.13 COP 3,674

5.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,757

$1.13 COP 3,692

5.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 ARS 1,867

$0.85 COP 2,753

48.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 ARS 2,108

$0.91 COP 2,975

57.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 ARS 4,507

$2.34 COP 7,630

30.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.09 ARS 7,519

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-58.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 ARS 3,044

$1.20 COP 3,909

71.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 ARS 4,513

$2.49 COP 8,104

22.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ARS 1,231

$0.84 COP 2,728

-1.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.65 ARS 40.9K

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-31.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ARS 2,201

$1.42 COP 4,623

4.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ARS 1,275

$1.92 COP 6,235

-55.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.93 ARS 8,769

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-22.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ARS 1,572

$0.99 COP 3,223

7.07%

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

$27.8K ARS 41.1M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

54.25%

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

$30.4K ARS 44.9M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

14.16%

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

$67.8 ARS 100.2K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-16.10%

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

$17.44 ARS 25.8K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

75.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.74 ARS 33.6K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-5.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.91 ARS 38.3K

$25.08 COP 81.7K

3.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.03 ARS 20.7K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-26.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 ARS 9,363

$3.98 COP 13.0K

59.30%

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

$222 ARS 328.5K

$305 COP 993.5K

-27.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,711 ARS 4.0M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-55.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.0 ARS 107.9K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

25.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.3 ARS 101.0K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

112.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ARS 170.7K

$101 COP 327.9K

14.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ARS 164.8K

$108 COP 350.8K

3.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$338 ARS 499.7K

$477 COP 1.6M

-29.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$234 ARS 346.4K

$376 COP 1.2M

-37.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$683 ARS 1.0M

$845 COP 2.7M

-19.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ARS 785.1K

$730 COP 2.4M

-27.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,531 ARS 3.7M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-21.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,406 ARS 2.1M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

2.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

13.43

335.59%

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

Last update for Paso de los Libres: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $338 in Paso de los Libres versus $477 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 $34.00 in Paso de los Libres versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 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

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

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 5%, 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 $1,476 per month in Paso de los Libres and $1,546 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 $34.00 in Paso de los Libres 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 $984 in Paso de los Libres and $1,031 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 Paso de los Libres, where all-in costs run around $984, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.