Cost of Living Comparison Between Chihuahua and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Chihuahua and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,123 per month in Chihuahua vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,706 per month in Chihuahua vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,289 per month in Chihuahua vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Chihuahua costs about 9% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chihuahua and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Chihuahua 16% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.60 MX$186

$6.16 COP 20.1K

72.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.19 MX$547

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-4.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.83 MX$155

$7.34 COP 23.9K

20.30%

Cappuccino

$3.78 MX$66.3

$1.72 COP 5,600

119.77%

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

$1.02 MX$17.90

$1.05 COP 3,420

-2.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 MX$15.04

$0.77 COP 2,515

11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 MX$32.02

$1.69 COP 5,488

8.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MX$59.6

$3.17 COP 10.3K

7.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$26.72

$1.05 COP 3,423

44.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 MX$50.9

$1.30 COP 4,236

123.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.39

$1.40 COP 4,544

35.71%

Eggs

$2.37 MX$41.56

$2.16 COP 7,047

9.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.03 MX$158

$4.39 COP 14.3K

105.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.98 MX$140

$5.88 COP 19.1K

35.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.79 MX$207

$8.64 COP 28.1K

36.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 MX$45.87

$2.28 COP 7,426

14.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MX$24.46

$1.11 COP 3,604

25.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.24

$1.53 COP 4,983

24.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.50

$1.35 COP 4,410

41.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 MX$36.95

$1.13 COP 3,674

86.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.64

$1.13 COP 3,692

75.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 MX$21.97

$0.85 COP 2,753

47.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 MX$18.57

$0.91 COP 2,975

16.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.9

$2.34 COP 7,630

75.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.03 MX$193

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-10.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 MX$26.51

$1.20 COP 3,909

25.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 MX$49.20

$2.49 COP 8,104

12.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 MX$11.47

$0.84 COP 2,728

-22.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.10 MX$563

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-20.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 MX$47.60

$1.42 COP 4,623

90.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 MX$12.16

$1.92 COP 6,235

-64.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.57 MX$168

$7.66 COP 24.9K

24.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.60

$0.99 COP 3,223

30.30%

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

$20.9K MX$367.2K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

16.12%

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

$23.3K MX$408.6K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-12.52%

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

$73.7 MX$1,293

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-8.81%

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

$22.80 MX$400

$9.95 COP 32.4K

129.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.73 MX$416

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-1.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.82 MX$453

$25.08 COP 81.7K

2.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.86 MX$489

$19.15 COP 62.3K

45.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 MX$75.2

$3.98 COP 13.0K

7.79%

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

$184 MX$3,229

$305 COP 993.5K

-39.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,764 MX$66.0K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-37.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 MX$955

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-6.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.73 MX$697

$32.20 COP 104.8K

23.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MX$1,777

$101 COP 327.9K

0.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.3 MX$1,320

$108 COP 350.8K

-30.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 MX$7,642

$477 COP 1.6M

-8.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 MX$6,399

$376 COP 1.2M

-3.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 MX$15.4K

$845 COP 2.7M

3.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 MX$9,663

$730 COP 2.4M

-24.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,535 MX$62.0K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

9.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,184 MX$20.8K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-13.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 MX$15.2K

$617 COP 2.0M

40.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.25

13.43

-16.23%

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

Last update for Chihuahua: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $436 in Chihuahua 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 40% higher in Chihuahua, 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 $31.00 in Chihuahua versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $266 in Chihuahua vs $193 in Medellin – so Medellin 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

Chihuahua vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chihuahua costs about 9% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,684 per month in Chihuahua 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 $184 per month in Chihuahua 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 38% more in Chihuahua, 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 Chihuahua at $1,123. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chihuahua it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,031 versus $1,123 in Chihuahua. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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