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 $866 per month in San Luis vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,408 per month in San Luis vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,950 per month in San Luis vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

San Luis is about 14% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both San Luis and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – San Luis 35% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.94 ARS 16.2K

$5.91 COP 18.6K

85.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.35 ARS 59.9K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

22.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.41 ARS 14.0K

$7.43 COP 23.4K

26.65%

Cappuccino

$3.77 ARS 5,601

$1.65 COP 5,207

128.48%

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

$2.36 ARS 3,498

$1.10 COP 3,468

114.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ARS 2,952

$0.78 COP 2,458

155.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 ARS 2,355

$1.72 COP 5,412

-7.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ARS 4,332

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-8.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 ARS 1,988

$1.10 COP 3,474

21.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 ARS 2,274

$1.26 COP 3,962

21.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 ARS 3,052

$1.38 COP 4,349

49.28%

Eggs

$2.20 ARS 3,262

$2.18 COP 6,858

0.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.54 ARS 9,709

$4.49 COP 14.1K

45.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.46 ARS 6,626

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-22.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.70 ARS 8,470

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-36.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ARS 1,828

$2.32 COP 7,308

-46.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ARS 2,257

$1.06 COP 3,352

43.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 ARS 2,248

$1.52 COP 4,774

-0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ARS 3,113

$1.36 COP 4,270

54.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 ARS 1,529

$1.13 COP 3,552

-8.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 ARS 1,511

$1.17 COP 3,689

-12.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ARS 1,462

$0.90 COP 2,838

8.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ARS 770

$0.90 COP 2,823

-42.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.53 ARS 3,762

$2.23 COP 7,034

13.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.07 ARS 6,038

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-66.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 ARS 2,942

$1.19 COP 3,743

66.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 ARS 5,153

$2.48 COP 7,815

39.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 ARS 847

$0.85 COP 2,687

-32.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 ARS 667

$1.42 COP 4,459

-68.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ARS 1,525

$1.95 COP 6,141

-47.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.84 ARS 7,182

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-38.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 ARS 1,448

$0.99 COP 3,118

-1.01%

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

$31.0K ARS 46.1M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

76.33%

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

$33.1K ARS 49.1M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

23.40%

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

$59.6 ARS 88.5K

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-28.23%

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

$10.96 ARS 16.3K

$9.70 COP 30.5K

12.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.52 ARS 32.0K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-8.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.14 ARS 38.8K

$25.26 COP 79.5K

3.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.96 ARS 20.7K

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-26.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.53 ARS 8,206

$3.95 COP 12.4K

40.00%

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

$104 ARS 154.5K

$316 COP 994.2K

-67.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,124 ARS 3.2M

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-64.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.7 ARS 122.8K

$60.0 COP 188.9K

37.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.0 ARS 112.8K

$31.82 COP 100.2K

138.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 ARS 199.1K

$102 COP 320.1K

31.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ARS 175.1K

$107 COP 338.3K

9.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$305 ARS 452.4K

$475 COP 1.5M

-35.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 ARS 255.6K

$374 COP 1.2M

-53.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$527 ARS 783.3K

$849 COP 2.7M

-37.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 ARS 450.8K

$719 COP 2.3M

-57.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$992 ARS 1.5M

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-69.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$593 ARS 880.3K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-58.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ARS 733.1K

$624 COP 2.0M

-20.95%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $305 in San Luis versus $475 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 26% 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 $40.00 in San Luis versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $177 in San Luis vs $193 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 16%, 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 $1,299 per month in San Luis and $1,504 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 $40.00 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 9% 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 $866, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.