Cost of Living Comparison Between San Martin de los Andes and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between San Martin de los Andes and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $953 per month in San Martin de los Andes vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,564 per month in San Martin de los Andes vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,176 per month in San Martin de los Andes vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

San Martin de los Andes is about 6% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both San Martin de los Andes and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – San Martin de los Andes 29% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.57 ARS 15.2K

$5.99 COP 21.4K

76.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.95 ARS 48.8K

$32.86 COP 117.2K

3.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.10 ARS 13.1K

$7.09 COP 25.3K

28.35%

Cappuccino

$2.76 ARS 3,968

$1.71 COP 6,105

61.40%

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

$1.72 ARS 2,469

$1.10 COP 3,918

56.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ARS 2,228

$0.78 COP 2,776

98.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ARS 3,098

$1.68 COP 5,987

27.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ARS 4,251

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-3.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 ARS 1,881

$1.09 COP 3,899

20.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ARS 2,265

$1.26 COP 4,500

24.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 ARS 2,903

$1.38 COP 4,914

46.38%

Eggs

$2.25 ARS 3,235

$2.19 COP 7,813

2.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 ARS 14.4K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

127.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.17 ARS 8,882

$5.63 COP 20.1K

9.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ARS 13.8K

$8.89 COP 31.7K

7.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 ARS 2,798

$2.34 COP 8,334

-16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 2,934

$1.06 COP 3,771

92.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ARS 1,871

$1.50 COP 5,365

-13.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 ARS 3,731

$1.38 COP 4,915

87.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ARS 1,695

$1.15 COP 4,104

2.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 ARS 1,792

$1.16 COP 4,148

7.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 ARS 1,835

$0.89 COP 3,176

43.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 ARS 2,153

$0.84 COP 2,992

78.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.14 ARS 4,521

$2.28 COP 8,131

37.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.25 ARS 6,115

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-60.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 ARS 2,847

$1.20 COP 4,276

65.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 ARS 4,593

$2.47 COP 8,809

29.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 ARS 1,123

$0.86 COP 3,051

-9.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 ARS 2,095

$1.47 COP 5,255

-0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ARS 1,230

$1.96 COP 6,997

-56.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 ARS 8,707

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-21.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ARS 1,598

$0.95 COP 3,403

16.84%

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

$27.1K ARS 39.0M

$18.1K COP 64.6M

49.66%

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

$30.5K ARS 43.8M

$26.5K COP 94.4M

15.02%

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

$66.0 ARS 95.0K

$82.3 COP 293.2K

-19.74%

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

$17.29 ARS 24.9K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

82.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.31 ARS 32.1K

$24.23 COP 86.4K

-7.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.61 ARS 38.3K

$25.89 COP 92.3K

2.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.93 ARS 20.0K

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-26.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 ARS 9,023

$3.93 COP 14.0K

59.54%

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

$223 ARS 320.9K

$309 COP 1.1M

-27.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,650 ARS 3.8M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-55.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.3 ARS 105.5K

$58.7 COP 209.1K

25.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.0 ARS 99.3K

$32.35 COP 115.3K

113.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ARS 163.5K

$103 COP 365.7K

10.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ARS 159.3K

$108 COP 386.5K

2.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 ARS 478.4K

$476 COP 1.7M

-30.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ARS 347.6K

$379 COP 1.4M

-36.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 ARS 962.9K

$838 COP 3.0M

-20.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$527 ARS 758.2K

$724 COP 2.6M

-27.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,229 ARS 3.2M

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-20.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

13.43

335.59%

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

Last update for San Martin de los Andes: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $333 in San Martin de los Andes 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in San Martin de los Andes versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 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

San Martin de los Andes vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 6%, 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 $1,429 per month in San Martin de los Andes 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 San Martin de los Andes, 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 $34.00 in San Martin de los Andes and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 22% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Martin de los Andes, where all-in costs run around $953, than in Medellin at $1,013. In San Martin de los Andes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Martin de los Andes – 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 Martin de los Andes. 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.