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 $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,402 per month in San Luis vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,939 per month in San Luis vs $2,120 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 35% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.17 ARS 15.6K

$5.92 COP 21.4K

88.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.52 ARS 56.5K

$32.75 COP 118.2K

23.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.58 ARS 13.4K

$7.20 COP 26.0K

33.06%

Cappuccino

$3.67 ARS 5,122

$1.70 COP 6,140

115.88%

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

$2.25 ARS 3,139

$1.10 COP 3,966

104.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ARS 2,872

$0.72 COP 2,605

186.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 ARS 2,288

$1.67 COP 6,022

-1.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ARS 4,094

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-5.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 ARS 1,865

$1.06 COP 3,809

26.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ARS 2,176

$1.25 COP 4,497

24.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 ARS 2,806

$1.39 COP 5,022

44.60%

Eggs

$2.16 ARS 3,019

$2.26 COP 8,168

-4.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.59 ARS 9,193

$4.33 COP 15.6K

52.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 ARS 6,473

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-20.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.59 ARS 7,806

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-36.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ARS 1,714

$2.24 COP 8,099

-45.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 ARS 2,132

$1.08 COP 3,882

41.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 ARS 2,032

$1.53 COP 5,522

-4.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ARS 2,909

$1.37 COP 4,950

51.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 ARS 1,358

$1.13 COP 4,078

-14.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ARS 1,380

$1.12 COP 4,036

-11.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ARS 1,419

$0.85 COP 3,057

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ARS 707

$0.91 COP 3,281

-43.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.43 ARS 3,386

$2.33 COP 8,414

4.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.93 ARS 6,874

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-55.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ARS 2,859

$1.19 COP 4,309

72.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 ARS 4,848

$2.37 COP 8,553

46.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ARS 753

$0.79 COP 2,838

-31.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 ARS 622

$1.44 COP 5,184

-68.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 ARS 1,410

$1.91 COP 6,901

-47.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 ARS 6,854

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-38.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 ARS 1,425

$0.94 COP 3,385

8.51%

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

$31.0K ARS 43.2M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

72.94%

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

$33.7K ARS 47.0M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

25.73%

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

$59.8 ARS 83.4K

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-28.84%

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

$10.86 ARS 15.2K

$9.60 COP 34.7K

13.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.91 ARS 30.6K

$24.16 COP 87.2K

-9.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.00 ARS 36.3K

$25.88 COP 93.4K

0.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.60 ARS 19.0K

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-28.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.56 ARS 7,760

$3.92 COP 14.1K

41.84%

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

$104 ARS 145.6K

$306 COP 1.1M

-65.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,181 ARS 3.0M

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-63.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.9 ARS 114.3K

$57.9 COP 209.1K

41.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.2 ARS 109.0K

$31.82 COP 114.9K

145.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 ARS 184.8K

$99.9 COP 360.6K

32.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ARS 165.0K

$107 COP 386.8K

10.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$297 ARS 414.0K

$487 COP 1.8M

-39.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$167 ARS 232.9K

$368 COP 1.3M

-54.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 ARS 729.3K

$826 COP 3.0M

-36.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 ARS 422.8K

$716 COP 2.6M

-57.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,074 ARS 2.9M

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-29.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$605 ARS 844.4K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-56.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$491 ARS 684.4K

$546 COP 2.0M

-10.08%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $297 in San Luis 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 11% 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 – $179 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 $1,299 per month in San Luis 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 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 6% 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 $1,034. 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.