Cost of Living Comparison Between Quilmes and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Quilmes and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $888 per month in Quilmes vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,488 per month in Quilmes vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,087 per month in Quilmes vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Quilmes is about 14% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Quilmes and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Quilmes 34% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.94 ARS 12.6K

$5.92 COP 21.5K

51.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.28 ARS 42.6K

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-7.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 ARS 12.9K

$7.20 COP 26.2K

26.94%

Cappuccino

$1.70 ARS 2,399

$1.70 COP 6,186

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

$1.27 ARS 1,791

$1.10 COP 3,996

15.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 ARS 1,657

$0.72 COP 2,625

63.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.25 ARS 1,763

$1.67 COP 6,067

-25.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 ARS 3,809

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-12.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ARS 1,779

$1.06 COP 3,837

18.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ARS 2,236

$1.25 COP 4,531

27.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 ARS 2,580

$1.39 COP 5,060

31.65%

Eggs

$2.15 ARS 3,027

$2.26 COP 8,229

-4.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 ARS 18.3K

$4.33 COP 15.8K

199.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.01 ARS 8,459

$5.84 COP 21.2K

2.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.29 ARS 14.5K

$8.83 COP 32.1K

16.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 ARS 2,571

$2.24 COP 8,159

-18.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ARS 3,082

$1.08 COP 3,911

102.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 ARS 1,390

$1.53 COP 5,563

-35.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 ARS 3,715

$1.37 COP 4,987

92.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 ARS 1,599

$1.13 COP 4,109

0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 ARS 1,956

$1.12 COP 4,067

24.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 ARS 1,223

$0.85 COP 3,080

2.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ARS 2,638

$0.91 COP 3,305

105.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 ARS 4,671

$2.33 COP 8,477

42.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.12 ARS 7,206

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-54.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ARS 1,836

$1.19 COP 4,342

9.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ARS 4,252

$2.37 COP 8,617

27.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ARS 1,165

$0.79 COP 2,859

5.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 ARS 3,589

$1.44 COP 5,223

77.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ARS 1,297

$1.91 COP 6,952

-51.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 ARS 8,254

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-26.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ARS 1,496

$0.94 COP 3,410

12.77%

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

$24.1K ARS 34.0M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

34.66%

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

$26.3K ARS 37.0M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-1.84%

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

$56.0 ARS 78.8K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-33.31%

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

$18.84 ARS 26.5K

$9.60 COP 34.9K

96.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.86 ARS 20.9K

$24.16 COP 87.9K

-38.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.35 ARS 37.1K

$25.88 COP 94.1K

1.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.75 ARS 19.4K

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-27.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.96 ARS 6,983

$3.92 COP 14.2K

26.53%

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

$221 ARS 310.7K

$306 COP 1.1M

-27.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,096 ARS 1.5M

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-81.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 ARS 86.1K

$57.9 COP 210.6K

5.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.9 ARS 82.9K

$31.82 COP 115.7K

84.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 ARS 154.1K

$99.9 COP 363.3K

9.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.7 ARS 134.7K

$107 COP 389.7K

-10.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$344 ARS 484.6K

$487 COP 1.8M

-29.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ARS 333.3K

$368 COP 1.3M

-35.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 ARS 959.5K

$826 COP 3.0M

-17.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 ARS 762.3K

$716 COP 2.6M

-24.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,314 ARS 3.3M

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-20.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,764 ARS 2.5M

$1,407 COP 5.1M

25.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,106 ARS 1.6M

$546 COP 2.0M

102.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

100

13.43

644.60%

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

Last update for Quilmes: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $344 in Quilmes versus $487 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 103% higher in Quilmes, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Quilmes versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $239 in Quilmes vs $190 in Medellin – so Medellin 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

Quilmes vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,332 per month in Quilmes and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Quilmes, 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 $30.00 in Quilmes and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 26% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Quilmes, where all-in costs run around $888, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Quilmes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Quilmes – 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 Quilmes. 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.