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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,343 per month in Chihuahua vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,980 per month in Chihuahua vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,618 per month in Chihuahua vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Chihuahua is about 18% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Chihuahua sits 3% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.75 MX$200

$8.04 COP 24.8K

46.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.48 MX$603

$48.29 COP 148.7K

-26.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.95 MX$203

$9.42 COP 29.0K

26.86%

Cappuccino

$2.51 MX$42.68

$2.94 COP 9,045

-14.63%

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

$1.31 MX$22.18

$1.86 COP 5,738

-29.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$13.94

$1.46 COP 4,481

-43.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 MX$41.68

$3.21 COP 9,887

-23.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 MX$73.1

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-24.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 MX$29.66

$1.44 COP 4,431

21.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 MX$58.3

$2.40 COP 7,393

42.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.44

$1.70 COP 5,230

32.94%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$46.57

$2.89 COP 8,901

-5.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.12 MX$172

$10.06 COP 31.0K

0.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.50 MX$127

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-24.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.74 MX$234

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-3.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$44.36

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-34.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 MX$28.04

$1.58 COP 4,880

4.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 MX$38.60

$2.15 COP 6,627

5.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.4

$2.30 COP 7,082

31.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 MX$45.89

$2.00 COP 6,172

35.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 MX$48.83

$1.51 COP 4,648

90.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 MX$24.68

$1.20 COP 3,703

20.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$21.53

$1.28 COP 3,948

-0.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.66 MX$79.2

$3.84 COP 11.8K

21.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.28 MX$192

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-19.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 MX$27.08

$1.71 COP 5,259

-7.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 MX$52.7

$2.74 COP 8,444

13.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.27

$1.25 COP 3,836

-52.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.89 MX$610

$77.9 COP 239.9K

-53.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 MX$51.2

$1.31 COP 4,018

129.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 MX$14.70

$2.17 COP 6,684

-59.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.79 MX$183

$8.29 COP 25.5K

30.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 MX$26.75

$1.36 COP 4,174

15.44%

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

$23.3K MX$396.3K

$27.5K COP 84.6M

-15.10%

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

$26.4K MX$447.7K

$36.5K COP 112.5M

-27.88%

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

$91.6 MX$1,556

$169 COP 519.5K

-45.70%

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

$23.06 MX$392

$13.57 COP 41.8K

69.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.52 MX$434

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-9.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.07 MX$511

$45.71 COP 140.8K

-34.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$5.42 MX$92.1

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-18.50%

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

$287 MX$4,879

$803 COP 2.5M

-64.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,573 MX$60.7K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-61.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 MX$919

$87.4 COP 269.0K

-38.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.71 MX$454

$59.4 COP 182.8K

-55.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 MX$1,860

$139 COP 427.7K

-21.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.3 MX$1,636

$102 COP 314.2K

-5.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 MX$11.1K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-38.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 MX$8,345

$653 COP 2.0M

-24.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,164 MX$19.8K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-39.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$752 MX$12.8K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-28.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,733 MX$63.4K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-9.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,204 MX$20.5K

$1,697 COP 5.2M

-29.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$902 MX$15.3K

$655 COP 2.0M

37.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.84

10.94

-0.91%

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

Last update for Chihuahua: September 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $654 in Chihuahua versus $1,071 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 38% higher in Chihuahua, 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 $35.00 in Chihuahua versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $300 – making Chihuahua 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

Chihuahua vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 22% more than Chihuahua, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,014 per month in Chihuahua and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chihuahua, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $287 per month in Chihuahua and $803 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chihuahua, where all-in costs run around $1,343, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Chihuahua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chihuahua costs $1,343 versus $1,641 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Chihuahua. 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.