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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,273 per month in Salto vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,869 per month in Salto vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,464 per month in Salto vs $2,167 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 5% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.41 UYU 821

$6.16 COP 20.1K

231.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.63 UYU 1,594

$32.60 COP 106.1K

21.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.95 UYU 360

$7.34 COP 23.9K

21.93%

Cappuccino

$2.98 UYU 120

$1.72 COP 5,600

73.26%

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

$2.23 UYU 89.7

$1.05 COP 3,420

112.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 UYU 60.3

$0.77 COP 2,515

94.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 UYU 182

$1.69 COP 5,488

166.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 UYU 131

$3.17 COP 10.3K

2.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 UYU 38.28

$1.05 COP 3,423

-9.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 UYU 48.44

$1.30 COP 4,236

-7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 UYU 60.4

$1.40 COP 4,544

7.14%

Eggs

$3.45 UYU 139

$2.16 COP 7,047

59.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.86 UYU 799

$4.39 COP 14.3K

352.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.41 UYU 298

$5.88 COP 19.1K

26.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.05 UYU 404

$8.64 COP 28.1K

16.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 UYU 39.87

$1.53 COP 4,983

-35.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 UYU 57.8

$1.35 COP 4,410

6.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 UYU 21.07

$0.85 COP 2,753

-38.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 UYU 50.4

$0.91 COP 2,975

37.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.10 UYU 205

$2.34 COP 7,630

117.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 UYU 298

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-40.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 UYU 73.0

$1.20 COP 3,909

50.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 UYU 87.2

$2.49 COP 8,104

-12.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 UYU 48.64

$0.84 COP 2,728

44.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.45 UYU 1,788

$40.57 COP 132.1K

9.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 UYU 60.7

$1.42 COP 4,623

6.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 UYU 59.9

$1.92 COP 6,235

-22.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.03 UYU 444

$7.66 COP 24.9K

43.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 UYU 76.0

$0.99 COP 3,223

90.91%

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

$39.8K UYU 1.6M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

120.76%

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

$38.5K UYU 1.5M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

44.50%

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

$186 UYU 7,501

$80.8 COP 263.1K

130.74%

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

$20.12 UYU 809

$9.95 COP 32.4K

102.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.80 UYU 1,360

$24.18 COP 78.7K

39.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.17 UYU 1,294

$25.08 COP 81.7K

28.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$9.53 UYU 383

$3.98 COP 13.0K

139.45%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 UYU 2,741

$58.1 COP 189.2K

17.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.6 UYU 2,436

$32.20 COP 104.8K

88.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 UYU 4,476

$101 COP 327.9K

10.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.6 UYU 2,681

$108 COP 350.8K

-38.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 UYU 17.2K

$477 COP 1.6M

-10.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 UYU 11.3K

$376 COP 1.2M

-25.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 UYU 29.7K

$845 COP 2.7M

-12.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$457 UYU 18.4K

$730 COP 2.4M

-37.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 UYU 24.7K

$617 COP 2.0M

-0.55%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $426 in Salto 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.

Salaries run about 1% higher in Medellin, 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 $40.00 in Salto versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 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

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 $1,910 per month in Salto 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 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 10% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $1,031, than in Salto at $1,273. 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.