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 $1,714 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,584 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,454 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur costs about 66% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur sits 28% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.26 MX$198

$6.16 COP 20.1K

82.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$32.60 COP 106.1K

64.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 MX$171

$7.34 COP 23.9K

33.11%

Cappuccino

$3.48 MX$61.0

$1.72 COP 5,600

102.33%

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

$1.59 MX$27.80

$1.05 COP 3,420

51.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.23

$0.77 COP 2,515

35.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 MX$41.06

$1.69 COP 5,488

38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 MX$68.4

$3.17 COP 10.3K

23.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MX$32.24

$1.05 COP 3,423

75.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 MX$45.16

$1.30 COP 4,236

97.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 MX$42.49

$1.40 COP 4,544

72.86%

Eggs

$2.16 MX$37.83

$2.16 COP 7,047

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 MX$162

$4.39 COP 14.3K

110.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.48 MX$166

$5.88 COP 19.1K

61.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.56 MX$255

$8.64 COP 28.1K

68.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 MX$44.58

$2.28 COP 7,426

11.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MX$25.96

$1.11 COP 3,604

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 MX$27.08

$1.53 COP 4,983

0.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MX$31.00

$1.35 COP 4,410

31.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 MX$19.01

$1.13 COP 3,674

-4.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.58

$1.13 COP 3,692

44.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 MX$49.48

$0.85 COP 2,753

231.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 MX$22.64

$0.91 COP 2,975

41.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.86 MX$85.3

$2.34 COP 7,630

107.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.59 MX$203

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-6.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 MX$21.64

$1.20 COP 3,909

2.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 MX$54.7

$2.49 COP 8,104

25.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 MX$14.53

$0.84 COP 2,728

-1.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.4 MX$883

$40.57 COP 132.1K

24.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.32 MX$75.8

$1.42 COP 4,623

204.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 MX$46.58

$1.92 COP 6,235

38.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.48 MX$184

$7.66 COP 24.9K

36.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$23.04

$0.99 COP 3,223

32.32%

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

$21.9K MX$383.9K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

21.41%

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

$23.3K MX$408.5K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-12.53%

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

$82.9 MX$1,454

$80.8 COP 263.1K

2.59%

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

$23.78 MX$417

$9.95 COP 32.4K

138.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.99 MX$456

$24.18 COP 78.7K

7.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.32 MX$777

$25.08 COP 81.7K

76.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.84 MX$278

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-17.28%

Cinema Ticket

$3.94 MX$69.2

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-1.01%

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

$131 MX$2,290

$305 COP 993.5K

-57.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,880 MX$138.2K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

30.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 MX$1,238

$58.1 COP 189.2K

21.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 MX$885

$32.20 COP 104.8K

56.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 MX$1,590

$101 COP 327.9K

-10.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.2 MX$1,127

$108 COP 350.8K

-40.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$851 MX$14.9K

$477 COP 1.6M

78.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 MX$14.5K

$376 COP 1.2M

119.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,218 MX$38.9K

$845 COP 2.7M

162.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,476 MX$25.9K

$730 COP 2.4M

102.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,843 MX$67.4K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

19.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,197 MX$38.5K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

60.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$792 MX$13.9K

$617 COP 2.0M

28.44%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $851 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur versus $477 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 28% 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 $193 – 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 66%, 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 $2,571 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and $1,546 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 $131 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and $305 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 $1,031, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,714. 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.