Cost of Living Comparison Between Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,746 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,612 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,478 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur costs about 2% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and Medellin sit above the global median – Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur by 27%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.27 MX$190

$8.03 COP 25.1K

40.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.0 MX$878

$48.26 COP 150.8K

7.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.92 MX$168

$9.77 COP 30.5K

1.54%

Cappuccino

$3.53 MX$59.7

$2.91 COP 9,095

21.31%

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

$1.54 MX$26.03

$1.94 COP 6,074

-20.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$17.62

$1.52 COP 4,754

-31.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 MX$45.54

$3.09 COP 9,663

-12.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$79.1

$5.74 COP 17.9K

-18.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MX$31.68

$1.36 COP 4,262

37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 MX$55.3

$2.39 COP 7,460

36.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 MX$44.59

$1.70 COP 5,314

55.29%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$41.63

$2.87 COP 8,967

-14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.73 MX$215

$9.94 COP 31.1K

28.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 MX$180

$10.78 COP 33.7K

-1.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.62 MX$247

$14.73 COP 46.0K

-0.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 MX$47.58

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-31.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 MX$27.45

$1.57 COP 4,911

3.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 MX$28.87

$2.13 COP 6,642

-19.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 MX$30.74

$2.21 COP 6,917

-17.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 MX$22.71

$2.05 COP 6,396

-34.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 MX$34.31

$1.50 COP 4,700

35.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 MX$50.5

$1.19 COP 3,718

151.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 MX$21.83

$1.16 COP 3,619

11.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.20 MX$87.9

$3.90 COP 12.2K

33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.99 MX$203

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-16.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 MX$27.06

$1.58 COP 4,948

1.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 MX$63.0

$2.83 COP 8,836

31.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 MX$16.65

$1.17 COP 3,650

-15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.5 MX$937

$77.7 COP 242.9K

-28.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.68 MX$79.0

$1.28 COP 4,014

265.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.36 MX$56.7

$2.09 COP 6,537

60.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.51 MX$194

$8.62 COP 26.9K

33.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MX$26.82

$1.30 COP 4,056

22.31%

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

$22.5K MX$380.6K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

-18.58%

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

$25.4K MX$429.7K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-28.39%

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

$89.6 MX$1,514

$176 COP 550.1K

-49.11%

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

$27.14 MX$459

$13.37 COP 41.8K

102.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.74 MX$570

$29.89 COP 93.4K

12.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.06 MX$829

$44.76 COP 139.8K

9.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.14 MX$509

$17.06 COP 53.3K

76.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.50 MX$76.1

$6.20 COP 19.4K

-27.42%

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

$253 MX$4,277

$793 COP 2.5M

-68.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,964 MX$151.5K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

-0.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.0 MX$1,301

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-10.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.7 MX$941

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-4.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MX$1,704

$136 COP 425.9K

-26.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.6 MX$1,227

$103 COP 322.2K

-29.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,224 MX$20.7K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

15.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$793 MX$13.4K

$680 COP 2.1M

16.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,590 MX$43.8K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

28.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,251 MX$21.1K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

7.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,864 MX$65.3K

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-6.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,174 MX$36.7K

$1,701 COP 5.3M

27.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$806 MX$13.6K

$665 COP 2.1M

21.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

10.94

6.03%

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

Last update for Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,224 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur versus $1,060 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 21% higher in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, 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 $52.0 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $322 vs $303 – 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

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur is pricier by about 2%, 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 $2,618 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and $2,574 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.

Public transport costs about 40% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $253 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and $793 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,746. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur 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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.