Cost of Living Comparison Between Rosario and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Rosario and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $822 per month in Rosario vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,363 per month in Rosario vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,905 per month in Rosario vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Rosario is about 21% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Rosario and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Rosario 39% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.11 ARS 12.7K

$5.92 COP 21.4K

53.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.61 ARS 41.3K

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-9.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.01 ARS 12.6K

$7.20 COP 26.0K

25.14%

Cappuccino

$1.70 ARS 2,376

$1.70 COP 6,140

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

$1.33 ARS 1,858

$1.10 COP 3,966

20.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 ARS 1,650

$0.72 COP 2,605

63.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 ARS 1,669

$1.67 COP 6,022

-28.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ARS 3,733

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-13.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ARS 1,759

$1.06 COP 3,809

18.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ARS 2,166

$1.25 COP 4,497

24.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 ARS 2,479

$1.39 COP 5,022

28.06%

Eggs

$2.25 ARS 3,142

$2.26 COP 8,168

-0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.91 ARS 16.6K

$4.33 COP 15.6K

175.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.91 ARS 8,241

$5.84 COP 21.1K

1.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ARS 13.4K

$8.83 COP 31.9K

8.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 ARS 2,558

$2.24 COP 8,099

-18.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 ARS 2,837

$1.08 COP 3,882

87.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 ARS 1,282

$1.53 COP 5,522

-39.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 ARS 3,494

$1.37 COP 4,950

82.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ARS 2,104

$1.13 COP 4,078

33.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 ARS 1,953

$1.12 COP 4,036

25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 ARS 1,230

$0.85 COP 3,057

3.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ARS 2,004

$0.91 COP 3,281

58.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.27 ARS 4,564

$2.33 COP 8,414

40.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.62 ARS 6,452

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-58.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ARS 1,811

$1.19 COP 4,309

9.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 ARS 4,262

$2.37 COP 8,553

28.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 ARS 1,145

$0.79 COP 2,838

3.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 ARS 2,182

$1.44 COP 5,184

8.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ARS 1,206

$1.91 COP 6,901

-54.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.93 ARS 8,272

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-26.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 ARS 1,504

$0.94 COP 3,385

14.89%

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

$23.7K ARS 33.1M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

32.34%

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

$25.6K ARS 35.7M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-4.60%

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

$55.0 ARS 76.8K

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-34.46%

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

$18.55 ARS 25.9K

$9.60 COP 34.7K

93.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.82 ARS 20.7K

$24.16 COP 87.2K

-38.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.04 ARS 33.5K

$25.88 COP 93.4K

-7.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 ARS 8,261

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-68.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 ARS 7,078

$3.92 COP 14.1K

29.34%

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

$326 ARS 454.3K

$306 COP 1.1M

6.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,089 ARS 1.5M

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-81.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 ARS 86.2K

$57.9 COP 209.1K

6.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.4 ARS 84.3K

$31.82 COP 114.9K

89.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 ARS 149.7K

$99.9 COP 360.6K

7.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 ARS 130.4K

$107 COP 386.8K

-12.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$200 ARS 279.7K

$487 COP 1.8M

-58.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 ARS 261.1K

$368 COP 1.3M

-49.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 ARS 730.3K

$826 COP 3.0M

-36.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 ARS 545.8K

$716 COP 2.6M

-45.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,083 ARS 2.9M

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-28.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$701 ARS 978.2K

$546 COP 2.0M

28.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

52.71

13.43

292.48%

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

Last update for Rosario: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $200 in Rosario 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 29% higher in Rosario, 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 Rosario versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $226 in Rosario 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

Rosario vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 26%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,232 per month in Rosario 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 Rosario, 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 Rosario 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 19% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rosario, where all-in costs run around $822, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Rosario it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rosario – 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 Rosario. 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.