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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,487 per month in Cancun vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,433 per month in Cancun vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,378 per month in Cancun vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Cancun is about 13% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cancun and Medellin sit above the global median – Cancun by 8%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$203

$8.03 COP 25.3K

48.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 MX$1,001

$48.26 COP 152.3K

22.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.04 MX$205

$9.77 COP 30.8K

23.23%

Cappuccino

$4.17 MX$70.8

$2.91 COP 9,185

43.30%

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

$1.39 MX$23.68

$1.94 COP 6,134

-28.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$14.95

$1.52 COP 4,801

-42.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 MX$56.2

$3.09 COP 9,759

6.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 MX$76.3

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-21.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 MX$30.00

$1.36 COP 4,304

30.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$46.14

$2.39 COP 7,534

13.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.31

$1.70 COP 5,366

4.71%

Eggs

$2.88 MX$48.88

$2.87 COP 9,056

0.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.41 MX$177

$9.94 COP 31.4K

4.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 MX$155

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-15.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.27 MX$243

$14.73 COP 46.5K

-3.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MX$49.59

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-28.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 MX$28.85

$1.57 COP 4,960

8.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 MX$55.1

$2.13 COP 6,708

52.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 MX$40.28

$2.21 COP 6,985

7.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$34.56

$2.05 COP 6,460

-0.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.35

$1.50 COP 4,747

30.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 MX$20.30

$1.19 COP 3,755

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 MX$21.81

$1.16 COP 3,654

10.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.80 MX$81.6

$3.90 COP 12.3K

23.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.51 MX$179

$14.44 COP 45.6K

-27.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 MX$27.76

$1.58 COP 4,997

3.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 MX$48.43

$2.83 COP 8,923

0.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MX$11.48

$1.17 COP 3,686

-41.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.36 MX$516

$77.7 COP 245.3K

-60.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.57 MX$77.7

$1.28 COP 4,054

257.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.14 MX$53.4

$2.09 COP 6,602

50.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.75 MX$251

$8.62 COP 27.2K

71.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 MX$26.72

$1.30 COP 4,096

20.77%

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

$22.5K MX$382.9K

$27.7K COP 87.3M

-18.52%

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

$25.9K MX$440.4K

$35.5K COP 112.0M

-27.02%

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

$177 MX$3,002

$176 COP 555.6K

0.32%

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

$25.68 MX$436

$13.37 COP 42.2K

92.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.90 MX$695

$29.89 COP 94.3K

36.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.82 MX$592

$44.76 COP 141.2K

-22.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.59 MX$248

$17.06 COP 53.8K

-14.48%

Cinema Ticket

$7.76 MX$132

$6.20 COP 19.6K

25.16%

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

$222 MX$3,772

$793 COP 2.5M

-72.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,926 MX$100.7K

$9,019 COP 28.5M

-34.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 MX$1,007

$85.6 COP 270.1K

-30.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.7 MX$998

$58.5 COP 184.5K

0.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.3 MX$1,382

$136 COP 430.1K

-40.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 MX$1,695

$103 COP 325.4K

-3.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 MX$11.9K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-34.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 MX$8,188

$680 COP 2.1M

-29.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,495 MX$25.4K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-25.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,124 MX$19.1K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-3.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,356 MX$23.0K

$4,111 COP 13.0M

-67.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,103 MX$35.7K

$1,701 COP 5.4M

23.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$847 MX$14.4K

$665 COP 2.1M

27.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

10.94

4.66%

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

Last update for Cancun: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $699 in Cancun 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 27% higher in Cancun, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Cancun versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Cancun vs $303 in Medellin – so Cancun wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $1,487 in Cancun, $1,716 in Medellin – roughly 15% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,231 per month in Cancun 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 Cancun, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $222 per month in Cancun and $793 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cancun, where all-in costs run around $1,487, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Cancun it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin 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 $1,487 in Cancun to $1,716 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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