Cost of Living Comparison Between Acuna and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Acuna and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $925 per month in Acuna vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,551 per month in Acuna vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,177 per month in Acuna vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Acuna is about 8% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Acuna and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Acuna 30% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.74 MX$238

$5.91 COP 19.1K

132.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.24 MX$385

$32.96 COP 106.5K

-32.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.89 MX$137

$7.43 COP 24.0K

6.19%

Cappuccino

$2.72 MX$47.08

$1.65 COP 5,343

64.85%

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

$1.01 MX$17.58

$1.10 COP 3,559

-8.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 MX$17.93

$0.78 COP 2,523

32.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 MX$40.81

$1.72 COP 5,553

37.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 MX$68.3

$3.18 COP 10.3K

23.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.65

$1.10 COP 3,565

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 MX$33.42

$1.26 COP 4,066

53.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 MX$29.45

$1.38 COP 4,463

23.19%

Eggs

$2.92 MX$50.5

$2.18 COP 7,038

33.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.61 MX$114

$4.49 COP 14.5K

47.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 MX$84.2

$5.79 COP 18.7K

-16.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.01 MX$156

$8.97 COP 29.0K

0.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 MX$41.72

$2.32 COP 7,499

3.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MX$24.04

$1.06 COP 3,440

31.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 MX$30.45

$1.52 COP 4,899

15.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.36 COP 4,381

39.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 MX$31.60

$1.13 COP 3,645

61.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.78

$1.17 COP 3,785

27.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 MX$17.64

$0.90 COP 2,912

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.90 COP 2,897

45.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$68.7

$2.23 COP 7,218

78.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.30 MX$161

$12.12 COP 39.2K

-23.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$26.68

$1.19 COP 3,841

29.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 MX$48.69

$2.48 COP 8,020

13.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 MX$10.53

$0.85 COP 2,758

-28.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.71 MX$411

$41.62 COP 134.5K

-43.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 MX$46.79

$1.42 COP 4,575

90.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 MX$27.39

$1.95 COP 6,302

-18.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 MX$140

$7.89 COP 25.5K

2.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 MX$21.49

$0.99 COP 3,200

25.25%

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

$17.3K MX$300.5K

$17.6K COP 56.9M

-1.47%

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

$18.1K MX$313.5K

$26.8K COP 86.6M

-32.48%

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

$56.1 MX$971

$83.0 COP 268.2K

-32.47%

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

$22.02 MX$382

$9.70 COP 31.3K

127.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 MX$651

$23.52 COP 76.0K

59.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.57 MX$495

$25.26 COP 81.6K

13.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.63 MX$253

$19.10 COP 61.7K

-23.40%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 MX$71.7

$3.95 COP 12.8K

4.81%

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

$159 MX$2,754

$316 COP 1.0M

-49.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,658 MX$63.4K

$5,975 COP 19.3M

-38.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.32 MX$802

$60.0 COP 193.8K

-22.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.90 MX$691

$31.82 COP 102.8K

25.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 MX$1,493

$102 COP 328.5K

-15.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.2 MX$1,459

$107 COP 347.2K

-21.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$290 MX$5,032

$475 COP 1.5M

-38.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$202 MX$3,492

$374 COP 1.2M

-46.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 MX$14.5K

$849 COP 2.7M

-1.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 MX$11.0K

$719 COP 2.3M

-11.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,714 MX$29.7K

$3,265 COP 10.5M

-47.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,148 MX$19.9K

$1,441 COP 4.7M

-20.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

13.43

-14.52%

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

Last update for Acuna: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $290 in Acuna versus $475 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 $22.00 in Acuna versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $221 in Acuna 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

Acuna vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 8%, 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 $1,388 per month in Acuna and $1,504 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Acuna, 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 $925 in Acuna and $1,003 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 76% less in Acuna. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Acuna, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Acuna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Acuna – 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 Acuna. 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.