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 $1,669 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,562 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,455 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur costs about 65% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur sits 25% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.17 MX$194

$5.99 COP 21.4K

86.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 MX$930

$32.86 COP 117.2K

63.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 MX$165

$7.09 COP 25.3K

34.70%

Cappuccino

$3.38 MX$58.5

$1.71 COP 6,105

97.66%

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

$1.54 MX$26.72

$1.10 COP 3,918

40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.95

$0.78 COP 2,776

39.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 MX$42.00

$1.68 COP 5,987

44.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 MX$70.1

$3.07 COP 10.9K

31.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MX$31.84

$1.09 COP 3,899

68.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 MX$43.21

$1.26 COP 4,500

97.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 MX$41.45

$1.38 COP 4,914

73.19%

Eggs

$2.16 MX$37.47

$2.19 COP 7,813

-1.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.50 MX$165

$4.40 COP 15.7K

115.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.75 MX$169

$5.63 COP 20.1K

73.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.48 MX$251

$8.89 COP 31.7K

62.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 MX$44.50

$2.34 COP 8,334

9.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MX$25.67

$1.06 COP 3,771

39.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.50 COP 5,365

0.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.08

$1.38 COP 4,915

26.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 MX$18.58

$1.15 COP 4,104

-6.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.60

$1.16 COP 4,148

47.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 MX$48.95

$0.89 COP 3,176

216.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 MX$21.74

$0.84 COP 2,992

48.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.73 MX$82.0

$2.28 COP 8,131

107.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 MX$201

$10.64 COP 37.9K

9.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.61

$1.20 COP 4,276

-0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 MX$56.0

$2.47 COP 8,809

30.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 MX$14.36

$0.86 COP 3,051

-3.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.5 MX$892

$41.40 COP 147.6K

24.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.20 MX$72.8

$1.47 COP 5,255

185.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.81 MX$48.65

$1.96 COP 6,997

43.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.34 MX$179

$7.74 COP 27.6K

33.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.95

$0.95 COP 3,403

38.95%

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

$21.8K MX$377.4K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

20.13%

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

$22.8K MX$395.8K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-13.76%

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

$83.2 MX$1,442

$82.3 COP 293.2K

1.19%

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

$23.31 MX$404

$9.50 COP 33.9K

145.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.83 MX$448

$24.23 COP 86.4K

6.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.93 MX$761

$25.89 COP 92.3K

69.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.12 MX$279

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-15.16%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 MX$67.4

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-1.02%

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

$130 MX$2,259

$309 COP 1.1M

-57.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,781 MX$134.8K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

30.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 MX$1,236

$58.7 COP 209.1K

21.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 MX$879

$32.35 COP 115.3K

56.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 MX$1,583

$103 COP 365.7K

-10.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.8 MX$1,140

$108 COP 386.5K

-39.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 MX$14.7K

$476 COP 1.7M

77.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$826 MX$14.3K

$379 COP 1.4M

118.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,201 MX$38.1K

$838 COP 3.0M

162.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,482 MX$25.7K

$724 COP 2.6M

104.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,853 MX$66.8K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

38.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,199 MX$38.1K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

81.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$805 MX$14.0K

$512 COP 1.8M

57.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

13.43

-14.37%

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

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $846 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur versus $476 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 57% 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 $54.0 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $287 vs $188 – 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 65%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,504 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and $1,519 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 24% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $130 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and $309 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 $1,013, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,669. 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.