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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $972 per month in Ushuaia vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,567 per month in Ushuaia vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,163 per month in Ushuaia vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Ushuaia is about 6% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ushuaia and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Ushuaia 27% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.35 ARS 15.3K

$6.16 COP 20.1K

68.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.32 ARS 49.3K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

2.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.83 ARS 13.1K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

20.30%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ARS 4,133

$1.72 COP 5,600

62.79%

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

$1.65 ARS 2,438

$1.05 COP 3,420

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ARS 2,280

$0.77 COP 2,515

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 ARS 3,139

$1.69 COP 5,488

25.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ARS 4,364

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-6.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ARS 1,849

$1.05 COP 3,423

19.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 ARS 2,419

$1.30 COP 4,236

26.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 ARS 2,854

$1.40 COP 4,544

37.86%

Eggs

$2.24 ARS 3,305

$2.16 COP 7,047

3.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 ARS 15.0K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

131.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.29 ARS 9,291

$5.88 COP 19.1K

6.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.19 ARS 13.6K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

6.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 ARS 2,869

$2.28 COP 7,426

-14.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ARS 3,149

$1.11 COP 3,604

91.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ARS 1,867

$1.53 COP 4,983

-17.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 ARS 3,712

$1.35 COP 4,410

85.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 ARS 1,680

$1.13 COP 3,674

0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 ARS 1,844

$1.13 COP 3,692

10.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ARS 1,930

$0.85 COP 2,753

54.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 ARS 2,113

$0.91 COP 2,975

57.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ARS 4,752

$2.34 COP 7,630

37.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.98 ARS 7,368

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-59.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ARS 2,954

$1.20 COP 3,909

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 ARS 4,648

$2.49 COP 8,104

26.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 ARS 1,219

$0.84 COP 2,728

-2.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 ARS 2,237

$1.42 COP 4,623

6.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 ARS 1,330

$1.92 COP 6,235

-53.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 ARS 8,947

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-21.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ARS 1,631

$0.99 COP 3,223

11.11%

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

$27.2K ARS 40.2M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

50.68%

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

$30.1K ARS 44.5M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

13.00%

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

$66.2 ARS 97.8K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-18.09%

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

$16.82 ARS 24.9K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

69.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.35 ARS 33.0K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-7.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.07 ARS 38.5K

$25.08 COP 81.7K

3.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.59 ARS 20.1K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-29.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.05 ARS 8,935

$3.98 COP 13.0K

52.01%

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

$222 ARS 328.6K

$305 COP 993.5K

-27.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,671 ARS 3.9M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-55.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 ARS 108.1K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

25.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.9 ARS 101.8K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

113.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ARS 168.0K

$101 COP 327.9K

12.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ARS 163.4K

$108 COP 350.8K

2.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 ARS 492.8K

$477 COP 1.6M

-30.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$233 ARS 344.3K

$376 COP 1.2M

-38.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 ARS 1.0M

$845 COP 2.7M

-17.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$542 ARS 800.4K

$730 COP 2.4M

-25.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,898 ARS 2.8M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-40.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,561 ARS 2.3M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

13.77%

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 Ushuaia: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $333 in Ushuaia 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 Ushuaia versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $230 in Ushuaia 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

Ushuaia 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 $1,457 per month in Ushuaia 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 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 $33.00 in Ushuaia 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ushuaia, where all-in costs run around $972, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.