Cost of Living Comparison Between Cancun and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cancun and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,367 per month in Cancun vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,240 per month in Cancun vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,112 per month in Cancun vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Cancun costs about 33% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Cancun sits 2% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.37 MX$234

$6.16 COP 20.0K

117.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 MX$943

$32.60 COP 106.0K

65.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.08 MX$176

$7.34 COP 23.9K

37.33%

Cappuccino

$3.56 MX$62.3

$1.72 COP 5,592

106.98%

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

$1.58 MX$27.66

$1.05 COP 3,416

50.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.68

$0.77 COP 2,511

23.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 MX$52.0

$1.69 COP 5,480

75.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 MX$80.2

$3.17 COP 10.3K

44.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$25.11

$1.05 COP 3,418

37.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 MX$43.77

$1.30 COP 4,230

92.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 MX$32.19

$1.40 COP 4,538

31.43%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.57

$2.16 COP 7,037

20.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.54 MX$202

$4.39 COP 14.3K

162.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.40 MX$147

$5.88 COP 19.1K

42.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.97 MX$192

$8.64 COP 28.1K

26.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$2.28 COP 7,415

37.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.58

$1.11 COP 3,599

46.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 MX$54.7

$1.53 COP 4,976

104.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.36

$1.35 COP 4,405

54.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.15

$1.13 COP 3,669

92.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$39.02

$1.13 COP 3,687

97.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.85 COP 2,749

27.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 MX$23.13

$0.91 COP 2,971

45.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MX$74.4

$2.34 COP 7,619

82.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$12.37 COP 40.2K

-15.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 MX$30.58

$1.20 COP 3,904

45.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 MX$46.02

$2.49 COP 8,094

5.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 MX$11.30

$0.84 COP 2,724

-22.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.1 MX$1,033

$40.57 COP 131.9K

45.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.34 MX$75.8

$1.42 COP 4,617

205.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.58 MX$45.20

$1.92 COP 6,227

34.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.01 MX$175

$7.66 COP 24.9K

30.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$22.34

$0.99 COP 3,219

29.29%

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

$29.8K MX$520.8K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

65.20%

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

$23.7K MX$415.1K

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-10.84%

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

$115 MX$2,018

$80.8 COP 262.7K

42.84%

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

$22.90 MX$400

$9.95 COP 32.3K

130.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.36 MX$618

$24.18 COP 78.6K

46.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.30 MX$442

$25.08 COP 81.5K

0.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.43 MX$427

$19.15 COP 62.3K

27.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.95 MX$104

$3.98 COP 13.0K

49.50%

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

$202 MX$3,533

$305 COP 992.2K

-33.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,302 MX$92.7K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-12.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 MX$947

$58.1 COP 189.0K

-6.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.72 MX$695

$32.20 COP 104.7K

23.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 MX$1,437

$101 COP 327.5K

-18.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,881

$108 COP 350.3K

-0.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 MX$10.9K

$477 COP 1.5M

31.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$457 MX$7,998

$376 COP 1.2M

21.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,282 MX$22.4K

$845 COP 2.7M

51.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$730 COP 2.4M

33.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,287 MX$22.5K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-59.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,030 MX$35.5K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

47.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$803 MX$14.0K

$617 COP 2.0M

30.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

13.43

-14.97%

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

Last update for Cancun: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Cancun 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 30% higher in Cancun, 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 Cancun versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 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

Cancun vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,367 in Cancun, $1,031 in Medellin – roughly 33% apart. Cancun costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,051 per month in Cancun 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.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Cancun and $305 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% more in Cancun, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Cancun at $1,367. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cancun it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Cancun has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,031 in Medellin to $1,367 in Cancun. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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