Cost of Living Comparison Between Ajijic and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ajijic and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,212 per month in Ajijic vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,946 per month in Ajijic vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,680 per month in Ajijic vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Ajijic costs about 21% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ajijic and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Ajijic 9% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.07 MX$140

$5.91 COP 18.6K

36.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.41 MX$595

$32.96 COP 103.8K

4.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.87 MX$119

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-7.54%

Cappuccino

$3.25 MX$56.2

$1.65 COP 5,207

96.97%

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

$1.12 MX$19.36

$1.10 COP 3,468

1.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 MX$13.67

$0.78 COP 2,458

1.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 MX$32.57

$1.72 COP 5,412

9.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 MX$53.5

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-2.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.59

$1.10 COP 3,474

29.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$39.08

$1.26 COP 3,962

79.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 MX$18.77

$1.38 COP 4,349

-21.74%

Eggs

$1.95 MX$33.78

$2.18 COP 6,858

-10.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.98 MX$138

$4.49 COP 14.1K

77.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.48 MX$129

$5.79 COP 18.2K

29.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.84 MX$118

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-23.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.45

$2.32 COP 7,308

-4.31%

Banana (1kg)

$0.95 MX$16.45

$1.06 COP 3,352

-10.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.85 MX$14.74

$1.52 COP 4,774

-44.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 MX$24.36

$1.36 COP 4,270

3.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 MX$23.53

$1.13 COP 3,552

20.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 MX$16.58

$1.17 COP 3,689

-17.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MX$16.34

$0.90 COP 2,838

4.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.90 COP 2,823

-8.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 MX$69.7

$2.23 COP 7,034

80.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.93 MX$154

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-26.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.48

$1.19 COP 3,743

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$28.03

$2.48 COP 7,815

-34.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 MX$11.21

$0.85 COP 2,687

-23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.04 MX$18.07

$1.42 COP 4,459

-26.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 MX$26.75

$1.95 COP 6,141

-20.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.4

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-60.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.79

$0.99 COP 3,118

27.27%

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

$18.5K MX$320.9K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

5.36%

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

$18.3K MX$316.8K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-31.67%

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

$43.37 MX$750

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-47.75%

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

$16.69 MX$289

$9.70 COP 30.5K

72.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.55 MX$442

$23.52 COP 74.1K

8.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.61 MX$408

$25.26 COP 79.5K

-6.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.26 MX$90.9

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-72.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.27 MX$73.9

$3.95 COP 12.4K

8.10%

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

$179 MX$3,102

$316 COP 994.2K

-43.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,606 MX$45.1K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-56.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.76 MX$740

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-28.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.17 MX$280

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-49.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 MX$1,124

$102 COP 320.1K

-36.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.7 MX$928

$107 COP 338.3K

-50.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$820 MX$14.2K

$475 COP 1.5M

72.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 MX$11.3K

$374 COP 1.2M

73.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,598 MX$27.6K

$849 COP 2.7M

88.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 MX$23.4K

$719 COP 2.3M

88.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,289 MX$56.9K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

0.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,758 MX$30.4K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

22.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$588 MX$10.2K

$624 COP 2.0M

-5.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.24

13.43

-16.31%

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

Last update for Ajijic: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $820 in Ajijic 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.

Salaries run about 6% higher in Medellin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Ajijic versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $193 – making Medellin 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

Ajijic vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ajijic is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,817 per month in Ajijic 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 Medellin, 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 $1,212 in Ajijic and $1,003 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $179 per month in Ajijic and $316 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Ajijic at $1,212. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ajijic it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ajijic makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.