Cost of Living Comparison Between Ushuaia and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ushuaia and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $949 per month in Ushuaia vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,565 per month in Ushuaia vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,182 per month in Ushuaia vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Ushuaia is about 45% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Ushuaia sits 31% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.41 ARS 15.7K

$8.03 COP 25.2K

29.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.57 ARS 50.6K

$48.26 COP 151.7K

-30.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.78 ARS 13.2K

$9.77 COP 30.7K

-10.13%

Cappuccino

$2.79 ARS 4,204

$2.91 COP 9,149

-4.12%

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

$1.69 ARS 2,550

$1.94 COP 6,110

-12.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ARS 2,261

$1.52 COP 4,783

-1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 ARS 3,275

$3.09 COP 9,721

-29.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ARS 4,580

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-47.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 ARS 1,966

$1.36 COP 4,287

-4.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ARS 2,461

$2.39 COP 7,505

-31.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 ARS 3,064

$1.70 COP 5,346

19.41%

Eggs

$2.25 ARS 3,387

$2.87 COP 9,021

-21.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 ARS 15.5K

$9.94 COP 31.2K

3.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 ARS 9,592

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-41.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.25 ARS 13.9K

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-37.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 3,073

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-50.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 ARS 3,201

$1.57 COP 4,940

35.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ARS 1,893

$2.13 COP 6,682

-40.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.61 ARS 3,941

$2.21 COP 6,959

18.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 ARS 1,732

$2.05 COP 6,435

-43.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ARS 1,803

$1.50 COP 4,728

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ARS 1,892

$1.19 COP 3,740

5.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ARS 2,238

$1.16 COP 3,640

27.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.17 ARS 4,775

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-18.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.97 ARS 7,491

$14.44 COP 45.4K

-65.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 ARS 3,152

$1.58 COP 4,978

32.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 ARS 4,740

$2.83 COP 8,889

10.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 ARS 1,172

$1.17 COP 3,672

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 ARS 2,310

$1.28 COP 4,038

19.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ARS 1,275

$2.09 COP 6,576

-59.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.84 ARS 8,804

$8.62 COP 27.1K

-32.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ARS 1,677

$1.30 COP 4,080

-14.62%

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

$27.0K ARS 40.8M

$27.7K COP 86.9M

-2.25%

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

$30.1K ARS 45.4M

$35.5K COP 111.6M

-15.28%

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

$67.2 ARS 101.4K

$176 COP 553.4K

-61.81%

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

$17.39 ARS 26.2K

$13.37 COP 42.0K

30.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.81 ARS 34.4K

$29.89 COP 94.0K

-23.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.14 ARS 39.4K

$44.76 COP 140.7K

-41.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.70 ARS 20.7K

$17.06 COP 53.6K

-19.70%

Cinema Ticket

$6.10 ARS 9,199

$6.20 COP 19.5K

-1.61%

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

$221 ARS 333.7K

$793 COP 2.5M

-72.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,682 ARS 4.0M

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-70.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 ARS 110.2K

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-14.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.9 ARS 107.0K

$58.5 COP 183.8K

21.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ARS 171.6K

$136 COP 428.4K

-16.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 ARS 166.5K

$103 COP 324.1K

7.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$342 ARS 515.6K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-67.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ARS 363.3K

$680 COP 2.1M

-64.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 ARS 1.0M

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-66.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$530 ARS 799.5K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-54.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ARS 2.9M

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-53.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,570 ARS 2.4M

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-7.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

10.94

434.73%

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

Last update for Ushuaia: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $342 in Ushuaia versus $1,060 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 Ushuaia versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $303 – making Ushuaia 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

Ushuaia vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 81%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. 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 Ushuaia and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ushuaia, 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 Ushuaia and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ushuaia, where all-in costs run around $949, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Ushuaia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ushuaia – 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 Ushuaia. 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.