Cost of Living Comparison Between Salto and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Salto and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,257 per month in Salto vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,893 per month in Salto vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,529 per month in Salto vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Salto costs about 24% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Salto and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Salto 6% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.09 UYU 810

$5.99 COP 21.4K

235.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.02 UYU 1,573

$32.86 COP 117.4K

18.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.44 UYU 380

$7.09 COP 25.3K

33.15%

Cappuccino

$3.08 UYU 124

$1.71 COP 6,115

80.12%

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

$2.20 UYU 88.9

$1.10 COP 3,924

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 UYU 63.0

$0.78 COP 2,781

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.33 UYU 175

$1.68 COP 5,997

157.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 UYU 131

$3.07 COP 11.0K

6.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 UYU 38.21

$1.09 COP 3,906

-12.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 UYU 50.1

$1.26 COP 4,508

-1.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 UYU 60.1

$1.38 COP 4,922

7.97%

Eggs

$3.33 UYU 134

$2.19 COP 7,827

52.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.70 UYU 794

$4.40 COP 15.7K

347.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.30 UYU 294

$5.63 COP 20.1K

29.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.61 UYU 387

$8.89 COP 31.8K

8.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 UYU 37.64

$1.50 COP 5,374

-38.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 UYU 58.3

$1.38 COP 4,924

5.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 UYU 21.06

$0.89 COP 3,182

-41.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 UYU 47.96

$0.84 COP 2,997

41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.88 UYU 197

$2.28 COP 8,145

114.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 UYU 296

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-31.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 UYU 75.1

$1.20 COP 4,284

55.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 UYU 90.0

$2.47 COP 8,824

-9.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 UYU 48.33

$0.86 COP 3,056

39.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.19 UYU 1,782

$41.40 COP 147.9K

6.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 UYU 60.9

$1.47 COP 5,264

2.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 UYU 60.4

$1.96 COP 7,009

-23.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.80 UYU 435

$7.74 COP 27.6K

39.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 UYU 73.9

$0.95 COP 3,409

92.63%

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

$39.6K UYU 1.6M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

118.32%

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

$39.2K UYU 1.6M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

47.98%

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

$181 UYU 7,316

$82.3 COP 293.7K

120.62%

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

$20.48 UYU 826

$9.50 COP 33.9K

115.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.77 UYU 1,402

$24.23 COP 86.5K

43.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.41 UYU 1,266

$25.89 COP 92.4K

21.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$10.06 UYU 406

$3.93 COP 14.0K

155.98%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 UYU 2,746

$58.7 COP 209.5K

16.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.5 UYU 2,440

$32.35 COP 115.5K

87.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 UYU 4,411

$103 COP 366.4K

6.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.0 UYU 2,743

$108 COP 387.2K

-37.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 UYU 17.5K

$476 COP 1.7M

-9.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 UYU 11.2K

$379 COP 1.4M

-26.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 UYU 30.6K

$838 COP 3.0M

-9.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 UYU 19.1K

$724 COP 2.6M

-34.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$615 UYU 24.8K

$512 COP 1.8M

20.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Salto: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $433 in Salto versus $476 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 20% higher in Salto, 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 $39.00 in Salto versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $188 – 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

Salto vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Salto is pricier by about 24%, 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 $1,886 per month in Salto and $1,519 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.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Salto, 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Salto at $1,257. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Salto 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, Salto makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.