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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,365 per month in Cancun vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,243 per month in Cancun vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,121 per month in Cancun vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Cancun costs about 35% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Cancun sits 2% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.37 MX$231

$5.99 COP 21.4K

123.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 MX$928

$32.86 COP 117.4K

63.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 MX$175

$7.09 COP 25.3K

42.88%

Cappuccino

$3.44 MX$59.5

$1.71 COP 6,115

101.17%

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

$1.58 MX$27.37

$1.10 COP 3,924

43.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.58

$0.78 COP 2,781

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$52.6

$1.68 COP 5,997

80.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 MX$77.4

$3.07 COP 11.0K

45.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.78

$1.09 COP 3,906

31.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 MX$43.94

$1.26 COP 4,508

101.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 MX$33.40

$1.38 COP 4,922

39.86%

Eggs

$2.63 MX$45.41

$2.19 COP 7,827

20.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.32 MX$196

$4.40 COP 15.7K

157.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.69 MX$150

$5.63 COP 20.1K

54.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.72 MX$185

$8.89 COP 31.8K

20.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$2.34 COP 8,349

38.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.13

$1.06 COP 3,777

48.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.50 COP 5,374

109.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 MX$38.04

$1.38 COP 4,924

59.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$37.01

$1.15 COP 4,111

86.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 MX$39.97

$1.16 COP 4,155

99.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.61

$0.89 COP 3,182

21.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 MX$22.14

$0.84 COP 2,997

52.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.6

$2.28 COP 8,145

84.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.25 MX$177

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-3.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.99

$1.20 COP 4,284

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 MX$45.24

$2.47 COP 8,824

6.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.42

$0.86 COP 3,056

-30.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.6 MX$1,048

$41.40 COP 147.9K

46.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.21 MX$72.8

$1.47 COP 5,264

186.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.48 MX$42.83

$1.96 COP 7,009

26.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.97 MX$172

$7.74 COP 27.6K

28.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 MX$23.01

$0.95 COP 3,409

40.00%

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

$30.5K MX$528.1K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

68.39%

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

$24.1K MX$416.6K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-9.06%

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

$116 MX$2,000

$82.3 COP 293.7K

40.55%

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

$23.15 MX$400

$9.50 COP 33.9K

143.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.11 MX$625

$24.23 COP 86.5K

49.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.40 MX$439

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-1.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.07 MX$416

$19.00 COP 67.9K

26.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.06 MX$105

$3.93 COP 14.0K

54.20%

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

$197 MX$3,413

$309 COP 1.1M

-36.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,199 MX$89.9K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-12.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 MX$932

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-8.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$690

$32.35 COP 115.5K

23.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 MX$1,430

$103 COP 366.4K

-19.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 MX$1,930

$108 COP 387.2K

2.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 MX$10.7K

$476 COP 1.7M

29.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 MX$7,931

$379 COP 1.4M

21.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 MX$21.9K

$838 COP 3.0M

51.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 MX$17.5K

$724 COP 2.6M

39.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,189 MX$37.9K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-21.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,287 MX$39.6K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

88.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$803 MX$13.9K

$512 COP 1.8M

57.00%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Cancun 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 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: $282 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

Cancun vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,365 in Cancun, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 35% apart. Cancun costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,048 per month in Cancun 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.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Cancun and $309 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% 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 $1,013, than in Cancun at $1,365. 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 $1,013 in Medellin to $1,365 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.