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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,182 per month in Ajijic vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,914 per month in Ajijic vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,645 per month in Ajijic vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Ajijic costs about 14% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ajijic and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Ajijic 12% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 MX$140

$5.92 COP 21.4K

35.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.13 MX$597

$32.75 COP 118.2K

4.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 MX$119

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-5.83%

Cappuccino

$3.27 MX$57.3

$1.70 COP 6,140

92.35%

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

$1.07 MX$18.80

$1.10 COP 3,966

-2.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 MX$13.89

$0.72 COP 2,605

9.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 MX$33.10

$1.67 COP 6,022

13.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 MX$54.0

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-0.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.53

$1.06 COP 3,809

26.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 MX$37.94

$1.25 COP 4,497

73.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 MX$18.73

$1.39 COP 5,022

-23.02%

Eggs

$1.96 MX$34.36

$2.26 COP 8,168

-13.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.11 MX$142

$4.33 COP 15.6K

87.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.18 MX$126

$5.84 COP 21.1K

22.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.80 MX$119

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-22.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.18

$2.24 COP 8,099

-2.68%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 MX$15.70

$1.08 COP 3,882

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 MX$15.89

$1.53 COP 5,522

-40.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 MX$24.85

$1.37 COP 4,950

3.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 MX$24.85

$1.13 COP 4,078

25.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 MX$17.09

$1.12 COP 4,036

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 MX$16.71

$0.85 COP 3,057

12.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 MX$15.12

$0.91 COP 3,281

-5.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MX$72.3

$2.33 COP 8,414

77.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.08 MX$159

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-18.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$23.59

$1.19 COP 4,309

13.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$28.29

$2.37 COP 8,553

-31.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 MX$10.61

$0.79 COP 2,838

-22.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 MX$18.87

$1.44 COP 5,184

-25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 MX$26.88

$1.91 COP 6,901

-19.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 MX$56.4

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-59.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 MX$21.96

$0.94 COP 3,385

32.98%

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

$18.3K MX$320.0K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

2.04%

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

$18.6K MX$325.8K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-30.51%

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

$43.48 MX$761

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-48.21%

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

$16.56 MX$290

$9.60 COP 34.7K

72.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.76 MX$451

$24.16 COP 87.2K

6.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.67 MX$414

$25.88 COP 93.4K

-8.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.38 MX$94.2

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-71.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.12 MX$72.1

$3.92 COP 14.1K

5.10%

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

$178 MX$3,111

$306 COP 1.1M

-41.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,586 MX$45.3K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-56.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.76 MX$748

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-26.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.04 MX$281

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-49.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 MX$1,164

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-33.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.4 MX$970

$107 COP 386.8K

-48.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$793 MX$13.9K

$487 COP 1.8M

62.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 MX$11.1K

$368 COP 1.3M

72.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,592 MX$27.9K

$826 COP 3.0M

92.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,377 MX$24.1K

$716 COP 2.6M

92.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,274 MX$57.3K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

11.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,735 MX$30.4K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

23.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$583 MX$10.2K

$546 COP 2.0M

6.81%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $793 in Ajijic versus $487 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 7% 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 $34.00 in Ajijic versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 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 14%, 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 $1,773 per month in Ajijic and $1,550 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 $1,182 in Ajijic and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $178 per month in Ajijic and $306 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 $1,034, than in Ajijic at $1,182. 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.