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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $924 per month in Acapulco vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,533 per month in Acapulco vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,142 per month in Acapulco vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Acapulco is about 46% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Acapulco sits 33% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.20 MX$173

$8.03 COP 25.3K

27.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.76 MX$709

$48.26 COP 152.0K

-13.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.81 MX$218

$9.77 COP 30.8K

31.12%

Cappuccino

$4.14 MX$70.3

$2.91 COP 9,167

42.27%

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

$1.70 MX$28.82

$1.94 COP 6,122

-12.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$29.51

$1.52 COP 4,792

14.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 MX$54.4

$3.09 COP 9,740

3.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.39 MX$91.5

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-6.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$28.86

$1.36 COP 4,296

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 MX$54.2

$2.39 COP 7,519

33.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.12

$1.70 COP 5,356

4.12%

Eggs

$1.96 MX$33.31

$2.87 COP 9,038

-31.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.15 MX$121

$9.94 COP 31.3K

-28.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.78 MX$149

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-18.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.86 MX$201

$14.73 COP 46.4K

-19.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.90 MX$83.1

$4.09 COP 12.9K

19.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.23

$1.57 COP 4,950

13.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 MX$61.6

$2.13 COP 6,695

70.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 MX$59.3

$2.21 COP 6,972

57.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.66 MX$62.1

$2.05 COP 6,447

78.54%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.2

$1.50 COP 4,737

108.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 MX$23.51

$1.19 COP 3,747

15.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.34

$1.16 COP 3,647

-22.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.67 MX$147

$3.90 COP 12.3K

122.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.26 MX$123

$14.44 COP 45.5K

-49.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.62

$1.58 COP 4,987

-26.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 MX$50.4

$2.83 COP 8,905

4.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 MX$16.83

$1.17 COP 3,679

-15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 MX$90.1

$1.28 COP 4,045

314.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,589

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 MX$26.68

$1.30 COP 4,088

20.77%

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

$23.1K MX$392.3K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

-16.48%

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

$26.4K MX$449.0K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-25.55%

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

$42.55 MX$723

$176 COP 554.5K

-75.83%

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

$16.05 MX$273

$13.37 COP 42.1K

20.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.14 MX$393

$29.89 COP 94.1K

-22.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.29 MX$345

$44.76 COP 141.0K

-54.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.98 MX$254

$17.06 COP 53.7K

-12.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.06 MX$69.0

$6.20 COP 19.5K

-34.52%

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

$180 MX$3,051

$793 COP 2.5M

-77.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.2 MX$1,193

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-17.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.62 MX$792

$58.5 COP 184.1K

-20.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 MX$2,020

$136 COP 429.3K

-12.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 MX$1,487

$103 COP 324.7K

-15.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 MX$9,439

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-47.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$161 MX$2,736

$680 COP 2.1M

-76.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 MX$17.8K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-47.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 MX$5,904

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-70.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$487 MX$8,267

$665 COP 2.1M

-26.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

10.94

6.03%

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

Last update for Acapulco: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $556 in Acapulco 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.

Salaries run about 37% 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 $42.00 in Acapulco versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $303 – making Acapulco 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

Acapulco vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 86% more than Acapulco, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,386 per month in Acapulco 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 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 $924 in Acapulco and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $180 per month in Acapulco and $793 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 $924, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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 $924 versus $1,716 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.