Cost of Living Comparison Between San Luis and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between San Luis and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $858 per month in San Luis vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,401 per month in San Luis vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,944 per month in San Luis vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

San Luis is about 16% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both San Luis and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – San Luis 36% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.07 ARS 15.8K

$5.95 COP 20.8K

86.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.02 ARS 58.6K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

23.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.59 ARS 13.7K

$7.23 COP 25.2K

32.64%

Cappuccino

$3.77 ARS 5,388

$1.63 COP 5,687

131.29%

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

$2.26 ARS 3,230

$1.09 COP 3,821

107.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ARS 2,980

$0.73 COP 2,548

186.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 ARS 2,268

$1.74 COP 6,065

-8.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ARS 4,160

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-9.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 ARS 1,883

$1.05 COP 3,662

25.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 ARS 2,199

$1.29 COP 4,515

19.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 ARS 2,823

$1.32 COP 4,617

50.00%

Eggs

$2.20 ARS 3,138

$2.27 COP 7,927

-3.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 ARS 9,615

$4.35 COP 15.2K

54.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ARS 6,588

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-21.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.43 ARS 7,763

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-36.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 ARS 1,771

$2.25 COP 7,844

-44.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ARS 2,166

$1.07 COP 3,733

42.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ARS 2,170

$1.52 COP 5,322

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 ARS 3,010

$1.42 COP 4,964

48.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 ARS 1,460

$1.17 COP 4,084

-12.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ARS 1,390

$1.17 COP 4,077

-17.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ARS 1,408

$0.89 COP 3,096

11.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ARS 721

$0.90 COP 3,146

-43.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.53 ARS 3,618

$2.25 COP 7,837

12.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.13 ARS 5,898

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-62.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ARS 2,803

$1.14 COP 3,977

71.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ARS 4,852

$2.38 COP 8,301

42.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ARS 822

$0.84 COP 2,916

-30.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 ARS 635

$1.41 COP 4,912

-68.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 ARS 1,405

$1.90 COP 6,634

-48.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.93 ARS 7,037

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-36.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 ARS 1,390

$1.01 COP 3,509

-3.96%

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

$30.9K ARS 44.1M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

75.68%

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

$33.7K ARS 48.2M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

27.30%

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

$59.4 ARS 84.8K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-29.03%

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

$10.73 ARS 15.3K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

13.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.94 ARS 31.3K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-9.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.09 ARS 37.3K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

3.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.57 ARS 19.4K

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-29.10%

Cinema Ticket

$5.52 ARS 7,882

$4.10 COP 14.3K

34.63%

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

$105 ARS 149.8K

$312 COP 1.1M

-66.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,162 ARS 3.1M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-63.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.1 ARS 114.4K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

37.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.6 ARS 108.0K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

132.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 ARS 195.8K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

37.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ARS 168.1K

$109 COP 378.8K

8.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$298 ARS 426.1K

$482 COP 1.7M

-38.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$167 ARS 238.7K

$379 COP 1.3M

-55.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$533 ARS 761.3K

$837 COP 2.9M

-36.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 ARS 421.6K

$723 COP 2.5M

-59.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,004 ARS 1.4M

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-64.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$608 ARS 868.2K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-50.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$506 ARS 722.4K

$541 COP 1.9M

-6.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

488.24%

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

Last update for San Luis: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $298 in San Luis versus $482 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 7% higher in Medellin, 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 $41.00 in San Luis versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $177 in San Luis vs $190 in Medellin – so San Luis 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

San Luis vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 19%, 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 $1,287 per month in San Luis and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Luis, 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 $41.00 in San Luis and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Medellin, 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 San Luis, where all-in costs run around $858, than in Medellin at $1,017. In San Luis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Luis – 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 San Luis. 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.