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 $949 per month in San Martin de los Andes vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,587 per month in San Martin de los Andes vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,225 per month in San Martin de los Andes vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

San Martin de los Andes is about 8% 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 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.47 ARS 15.5K

$6.16 COP 20.1K

69.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.38 ARS 49.3K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

2.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ARS 13.6K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

25.61%

Cappuccino

$2.74 ARS 4,055

$1.72 COP 5,600

59.30%

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

$1.67 ARS 2,466

$1.05 COP 3,420

59.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 ARS 2,204

$0.77 COP 2,515

93.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 ARS 3,059

$1.69 COP 5,488

22.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ARS 4,374

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-6.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ARS 1,850

$1.05 COP 3,423

19.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ARS 2,408

$1.30 COP 4,236

25.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 ARS 3,000

$1.40 COP 4,544

45.00%

Eggs

$2.25 ARS 3,330

$2.16 COP 7,047

4.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 ARS 14.6K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

125.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.28 ARS 9,276

$5.88 COP 19.1K

6.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ARS 13.8K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

7.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ARS 2,912

$2.28 COP 7,426

-13.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 ARS 3,187

$1.11 COP 3,604

94.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ARS 1,865

$1.53 COP 4,983

-17.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.61 ARS 3,864

$1.35 COP 4,410

93.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,760

$1.13 COP 3,674

5.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 ARS 1,835

$1.13 COP 3,692

9.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ARS 1,964

$0.85 COP 2,753

56.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ARS 2,194

$0.91 COP 2,975

62.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.06 ARS 4,518

$2.34 COP 7,630

30.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.48 ARS 6,620

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-63.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 ARS 2,978

$1.20 COP 3,909

67.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 ARS 4,511

$2.49 COP 8,104

22.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 ARS 1,148

$0.84 COP 2,728

-7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ARS 2,166

$1.42 COP 4,623

3.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 ARS 1,371

$1.92 COP 6,235

-51.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 ARS 8,662

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-23.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ARS 1,577

$0.99 COP 3,223

8.08%

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

$27.5K ARS 40.6M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

52.51%

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

$30.6K ARS 45.2M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

14.88%

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

$68.2 ARS 100.8K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-15.57%

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

$17.24 ARS 25.5K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

73.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.13 ARS 32.7K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-8.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.60 ARS 39.3K

$25.08 COP 81.7K

6.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ARS 20.8K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-26.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.01 ARS 8,890

$3.98 COP 13.0K

51.01%

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

$220 ARS 325.4K

$305 COP 993.5K

-27.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,653 ARS 3.9M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-56.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 ARS 110.7K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

28.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.5 ARS 102.7K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

115.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ARS 172.3K

$101 COP 327.9K

15.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 ARS 165.7K

$108 COP 350.8K

4.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$332 ARS 490.7K

$477 COP 1.6M

-30.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ARS 347.6K

$376 COP 1.2M

-37.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$672 ARS 992.9K

$845 COP 2.7M

-20.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$536 ARS 792.3K

$730 COP 2.4M

-26.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,575 ARS 3.8M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-19.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,511 ARS 2.2M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

10.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $332 in San Martin de los Andes 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in San Martin de los Andes versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $230 in San Martin de los Andes vs $193 in Medellin – so Medellin 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 Martin de los Andes vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 9%, 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 $1,423 per month in San Martin de los Andes 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 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 $33.00 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 19% 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 $949, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.