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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,132 per month in Chihuahua vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,725 per month in Chihuahua vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,319 per month in Chihuahua vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Chihuahua costs about 12% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chihuahua and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Chihuahua 16% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.72 MX$185

$5.99 COP 21.4K

78.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.39 MX$543

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-4.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.91 MX$154

$7.09 COP 25.3K

25.67%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.5

$1.71 COP 6,115

111.11%

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

$1.02 MX$17.65

$1.10 COP 3,924

-7.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 MX$14.94

$0.78 COP 2,781

10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 MX$32.67

$1.68 COP 5,997

12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 MX$60.5

$3.07 COP 11.0K

14.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$26.16

$1.09 COP 3,906

38.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 MX$48.20

$1.26 COP 4,508

121.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.83

$1.38 COP 4,922

45.65%

Eggs

$2.31 MX$39.88

$2.19 COP 7,827

5.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 MX$161

$4.40 COP 15.7K

111.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 MX$140

$5.63 COP 20.1K

43.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.79 MX$204

$8.89 COP 31.8K

32.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.84

$2.34 COP 8,349

15.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MX$25.36

$1.06 COP 3,777

38.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 MX$33.66

$1.50 COP 5,374

30.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.29

$1.38 COP 4,924

39.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.11

$1.15 COP 4,111

76.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.67

$1.16 COP 4,155

77.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 MX$22.08

$0.89 COP 3,182

43.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.82

$0.84 COP 2,997

29.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.0

$2.28 COP 8,145

79.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.91 MX$189

$10.64 COP 38.0K

2.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 MX$26.14

$1.20 COP 4,284

25.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 MX$46.81

$2.47 COP 8,824

9.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 MX$10.61

$0.86 COP 3,056

-29.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.04 MX$554

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-22.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 MX$46.01

$1.47 COP 5,264

80.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 MX$11.41

$1.96 COP 7,009

-66.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.64 MX$167

$7.74 COP 27.6K

24.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 MX$21.47

$0.95 COP 3,409

30.53%

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

$21.1K MX$365.2K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

16.45%

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

$22.9K MX$396.7K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-13.40%

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

$75.9 MX$1,314

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-7.67%

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

$22.90 MX$396

$9.50 COP 33.9K

141.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.61 MX$408

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-2.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.41 MX$439

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-1.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.22 MX$488

$19.00 COP 67.9K

48.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.17 MX$72.2

$3.93 COP 14.0K

6.11%

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

$183 MX$3,173

$309 COP 1.1M

-40.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,760 MX$65.0K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-36.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 MX$963

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-5.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.02 MX$692

$32.35 COP 115.5K

23.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,810

$103 COP 366.4K

2.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.3 MX$1,319

$108 COP 387.2K

-29.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 MX$7,362

$476 COP 1.7M

-10.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 MX$6,264

$379 COP 1.4M

-4.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$890 MX$15.4K

$838 COP 3.0M

6.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 MX$9,625

$724 COP 2.6M

-23.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,663 MX$63.4K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

31.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,180 MX$20.4K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-2.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$897 MX$15.5K

$512 COP 1.8M

75.22%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $426 in Chihuahua 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 75% 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 – $267 in Chihuahua vs $188 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 12% 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 $1,697 per month in Chihuahua 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 $183 per month in Chihuahua 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 42% 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 $1,013, than in Chihuahua at $1,132. 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 $1,013 versus $1,132 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.