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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $912 per month in Acuna vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,555 per month in Acuna vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,198 per month in Acuna vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Acuna is about 10% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Acuna and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Acuna 32% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.93 MX$239

$5.95 COP 20.8K

134.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.07 MX$379

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-33.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 MX$140

$7.23 COP 25.2K

12.86%

Cappuccino

$2.84 MX$48.69

$1.63 COP 5,687

74.23%

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

$1.06 MX$18.27

$1.09 COP 3,821

-2.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 MX$16.91

$0.73 COP 2,548

35.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 MX$40.51

$1.74 COP 6,065

35.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 MX$68.5

$3.23 COP 11.3K

23.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 MX$26.32

$1.05 COP 3,662

45.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 MX$34.95

$1.29 COP 4,515

58.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 MX$28.55

$1.32 COP 4,617

25.76%

Eggs

$2.84 MX$48.80

$2.27 COP 7,927

25.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.97 MX$120

$4.35 COP 15.2K

60.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.84 MX$83.1

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-17.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.00 MX$154

$8.61 COP 30.0K

4.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 MX$41.84

$2.25 COP 7,844

8.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 MX$24.12

$1.07 COP 3,733

31.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.01

$1.52 COP 5,322

15.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.19

$1.42 COP 4,964

40.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 MX$29.86

$1.17 COP 4,084

48.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.59

$1.17 COP 4,077

27.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 MX$17.40

$0.89 COP 3,096

13.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 MX$21.95

$0.90 COP 3,146

42.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 MX$68.3

$2.25 COP 7,837

76.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.88 MX$187

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-1.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 MX$27.50

$1.14 COP 3,977

40.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 MX$47.13

$2.38 COP 8,301

15.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 MX$11.08

$0.84 COP 2,916

-22.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.14 MX$414

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-42.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 MX$45.70

$1.41 COP 4,912

88.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 MX$26.40

$1.90 COP 6,634

-18.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.08 MX$139

$7.75 COP 27.0K

4.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 MX$21.35

$1.01 COP 3,509

22.77%

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

$17.9K MX$307.6K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

1.96%

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

$17.7K MX$304.1K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-33.12%

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

$57.6 MX$988

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-31.23%

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

$21.84 MX$375

$9.45 COP 33.0K

131.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.20 MX$639

$24.11 COP 84.1K

54.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.98 MX$480

$25.31 COP 88.3K

10.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.72 MX$253

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-23.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 MX$71.3

$4.10 COP 14.3K

1.46%

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

$160 MX$2,746

$312 COP 1.1M

-48.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,566 MX$61.2K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-40.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.24 MX$794

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-20.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.23 MX$691

$32.56 COP 113.6K

23.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 MX$1,525

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-10.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 MX$1,425

$109 COP 378.8K

-23.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 MX$4,916

$482 COP 1.7M

-40.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 MX$3,394

$379 COP 1.3M

-47.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 MX$14.4K

$837 COP 2.9M

0.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 MX$11.0K

$723 COP 2.5M

-11.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 MX$34.1K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-30.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,336 MX$22.9K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

9.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $286 in Acuna versus $482 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 – $226 in Acuna vs $190 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 11%, 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 $1,368 per month in Acuna and $1,525 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 $912 in Acuna and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 74% 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 $912, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.