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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Ajijic vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,966 per month in Ajijic vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,709 per month in Ajijic vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Ajijic costs about 20% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ajijic and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Ajijic 9% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.90 MX$136

$5.95 COP 20.8K

32.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.79 MX$597

$33.33 COP 116.3K

4.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.70 MX$115

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-7.33%

Cappuccino

$3.31 MX$56.9

$1.63 COP 5,687

103.07%

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

$1.13 MX$19.41

$1.09 COP 3,821

3.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 MX$14.43

$0.73 COP 2,548

15.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 MX$32.17

$1.74 COP 6,065

7.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 MX$53.2

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-4.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$23.95

$1.05 COP 3,662

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 MX$38.43

$1.29 COP 4,515

73.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 MX$17.95

$1.32 COP 4,617

-20.45%

Eggs

$1.96 MX$33.66

$2.27 COP 7,927

-13.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.17 MX$140

$4.35 COP 15.2K

87.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.34 MX$126

$5.88 COP 20.5K

24.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.92 MX$119

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-19.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.27

$2.25 COP 7,844

-3.56%

Banana (1kg)

$0.96 MX$16.46

$1.07 COP 3,733

-10.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.89 MX$15.22

$1.52 COP 5,322

-41.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 MX$24.41

$1.42 COP 4,964

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 MX$24.07

$1.17 COP 4,084

19.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 MX$16.63

$1.17 COP 4,077

-17.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 MX$15.13

$0.89 COP 3,096

-1.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 MX$15.19

$0.90 COP 3,146

-1.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 MX$69.0

$2.25 COP 7,837

78.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.90 MX$153

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-19.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.32

$1.14 COP 3,977

19.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.54

$2.38 COP 8,301

-30.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MX$11.35

$0.84 COP 2,916

-21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 MX$18.37

$1.41 COP 4,912

-24.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 MX$27.24

$1.90 COP 6,634

-16.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 MX$55.3

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-58.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.26

$1.01 COP 3,509

28.71%

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

$19.0K MX$325.4K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

7.83%

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

$18.5K MX$317.5K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-30.18%

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

$44.66 MX$766

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-46.63%

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

$16.72 MX$287

$9.45 COP 33.0K

76.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.50 MX$438

$24.11 COP 84.1K

5.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.93 MX$411

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-5.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.24 MX$89.9

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-72.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.18 MX$71.7

$4.10 COP 14.3K

1.95%

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

$183 MX$3,141

$312 COP 1.1M

-41.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,638 MX$45.3K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-55.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.54 MX$730

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-26.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.09 MX$276

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-50.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.3 MX$1,121

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-34.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.0 MX$927

$109 COP 378.8K

-50.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$819 MX$14.1K

$482 COP 1.7M

69.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$638 MX$10.9K

$379 COP 1.3M

68.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,586 MX$27.2K

$837 COP 2.9M

89.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,364 MX$23.4K

$723 COP 2.5M

88.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,295 MX$56.6K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

16.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,740 MX$29.9K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

42.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$594 MX$10.2K

$541 COP 1.9M

9.91%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $819 in Ajijic 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.

Salaries run about 10% higher in Ajijic, 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 $35.00 in Ajijic versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $190 – 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 20%, 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 $1,834 per month in Ajijic 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 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 $1,223 in Ajijic and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $183 per month in Ajijic and $312 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 $1,017, than in Ajijic at $1,223. 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.