Cost of Living Comparison Between Acapulco and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Acapulco and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $955 per month in Acapulco vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,460 per month in Acapulco vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,965 per month in Acapulco vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

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

Both Acapulco and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Acapulco 29% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.78 MX$186

$5.99 COP 21.4K

79.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.02 MX$554

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-2.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.34 MX$196

$7.09 COP 25.3K

59.94%

Cappuccino

$3.76 MX$65.0

$1.71 COP 6,115

119.88%

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

$1.82 MX$31.49

$1.10 COP 3,924

65.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$26.69

$0.78 COP 2,781

97.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 MX$44.51

$1.68 COP 5,997

52.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$81.9

$3.07 COP 11.0K

54.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 MX$26.91

$1.09 COP 3,906

43.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 MX$55.1

$1.26 COP 4,508

153.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.82

$1.38 COP 4,922

12.32%

Eggs

$1.74 MX$30.15

$2.19 COP 7,827

-20.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.24 MX$108

$4.40 COP 15.7K

41.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 MX$141

$5.63 COP 20.1K

44.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.78 MX$186

$8.89 COP 31.8K

21.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 MX$78.4

$2.34 COP 8,349

93.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MX$29.07

$1.06 COP 3,777

58.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 MX$55.2

$1.50 COP 5,374

112.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.12 MX$53.9

$1.38 COP 4,924

126.09%

Potato (1kg)

$3.44 MX$59.4

$1.15 COP 4,111

199.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 MX$49.68

$1.16 COP 4,155

147.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 MX$21.67

$0.89 COP 3,182

40.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 MX$13.42

$0.84 COP 2,997

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.82 MX$135

$2.28 COP 8,145

242.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.04 MX$122

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-33.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.20 COP 4,284

-13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 MX$45.37

$2.47 COP 8,824

6.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MX$12.67

$0.86 COP 3,056

-15.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.27 MX$73.8

$1.47 COP 5,264

190.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 MX$26.68

$1.96 COP 7,009

-21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 MX$145

$7.74 COP 27.6K

8.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.73

$0.95 COP 3,409

32.63%

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

$21.0K MX$362.7K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

15.64%

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

$22.1K MX$382.6K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-16.49%

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

$38.89 MX$673

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-52.72%

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

$22.51 MX$389

$9.50 COP 33.9K

136.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.88 MX$361

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-13.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.76 MX$324

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-27.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.24 MX$229

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-30.32%

Cinema Ticket

$3.62 MX$62.7

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-7.89%

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

$156 MX$2,706

$309 COP 1.1M

-49.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,565 MX$61.7K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-40.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 MX$1,105

$58.7 COP 209.5K

8.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.96 MX$726

$32.35 COP 115.5K

29.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MX$1,826

$103 COP 366.4K

2.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 MX$1,390

$108 COP 387.2K

-25.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 MX$8,748

$476 COP 1.7M

6.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$243 MX$4,208

$379 COP 1.4M

-35.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 MX$15.9K

$838 COP 3.0M

9.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 MX$4,302

$724 COP 2.6M

-65.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$486 MX$8,412

$512 COP 1.8M

-4.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

13.43

-14.37%

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

Last update for Acapulco: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $506 in Acapulco 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.

Salaries run about 5% 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 $32.00 in Acapulco versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $268 in Acapulco vs $188 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

Acapulco vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 6% more than Acapulco, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,433 per month in Acapulco 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 Acapulco, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $955 in Acapulco and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $156 per month in Acapulco and $309 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Acapulco, where all-in costs run around $955, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Acapulco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Acapulco costs $955 versus $1,013 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Acapulco. 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.