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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,356 per month in Ajijic vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,120 per month in Ajijic vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,884 per month in Ajijic vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Ajijic is about 19% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Ajijic sits 1% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.12 MX$175

$8.02 COP 25.0K

26.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.72 MX$805

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-2.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.59 MX$131

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-23.26%

Cappuccino

$3.86 MX$66.5

$3.13 COP 9,767

23.32%

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

$1.79 MX$30.83

$1.91 COP 5,954

-6.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 MX$22.70

$1.51 COP 4,712

-12.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 MX$39.09

$3.12 COP 9,747

-27.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 MX$58.8

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-40.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 MX$27.11

$1.44 COP 4,509

9.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 MX$41.12

$2.49 COP 7,759

-4.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 MX$19.91

$1.77 COP 5,535

-35.03%

Eggs

$2.45 MX$42.29

$2.96 COP 9,235

-17.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 MX$147

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-15.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.14 MX$158

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-9.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.72 MX$133

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-46.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 MX$42.16

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-40.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MX$23.59

$1.61 COP 5,019

-14.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.05

$2.25 COP 7,007

-30.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.54

$2.25 COP 7,028

-16.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 MX$28.50

$2.04 COP 6,375

-19.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.80

$1.54 COP 4,790

-2.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 MX$18.19

$1.17 COP 3,651

-10.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.16

$1.31 COP 4,077

-28.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 MX$80.8

$3.90 COP 12.2K

20.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.59 MX$165

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-31.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.74 COP 5,439

-5.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 MX$25.34

$2.87 COP 8,956

-48.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 MX$11.64

$1.22 COP 3,792

-45.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 MX$23.23

$1.31 COP 4,084

3.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.75 MX$82.0

$2.19 COP 6,825

116.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.86 MX$204

$8.71 COP 27.2K

36.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$26.23

$1.37 COP 4,260

10.95%

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

$22.4K MX$387.0K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

-19.36%

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

$25.6K MX$440.6K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-28.57%

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

$57.6 MX$993

$177 COP 553.2K

-67.52%

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

$15.28 MX$263

$13.88 COP 43.3K

10.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.10 MX$450

$29.72 COP 92.8K

-12.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.56 MX$458

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-40.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.78 MX$99.7

$17.12 COP 53.4K

-66.24%

Cinema Ticket

$5.21 MX$89.9

$6.65 COP 20.7K

-21.65%

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

$226 MX$3,895

$813 COP 2.5M

-72.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,110 MX$53.6K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-66.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.32 MX$799

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-48.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.75 MX$306

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-69.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 MX$1,242

$138 COP 431.2K

-47.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 MX$1,295

$102 COP 318.7K

-26.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 MX$15.7K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-14.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$684 MX$11.8K

$663 COP 2.1M

3.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,562 MX$26.9K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-17.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,282 MX$22.1K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

24.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,285 MX$56.6K

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-21.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,756 MX$30.3K

$1,675 COP 5.2M

4.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$593 MX$10.2K

$678 COP 2.1M

-12.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.2

10.94

2.38%

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

Last update for Ajijic: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $908 in Ajijic versus $1,062 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 14% 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 $47.00 in Ajijic versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $305 – making Ajijic 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 24%, 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 $2,034 per month in Ajijic and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ajijic, 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 $1,356 in Ajijic and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Ajijic and $813 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 Ajijic, where all-in costs run around $1,356, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Ajijic it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ajijic – 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 Ajijic. 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.