Cost of Living Comparison Between Cholula and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cholula and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,143 per month in Cholula vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,838 per month in Cholula vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,532 per month in Cholula vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Cholula is about 32% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Cholula sits 16% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.53 MX$198

$8.02 COP 25.3K

43.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 MX$875

$47.87 COP 151.0K

6.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.56 MX$164

$9.89 COP 31.2K

-3.34%

Cappuccino

$3.44 MX$59.1

$3.13 COP 9,873

9.90%

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

$1.67 MX$28.64

$1.91 COP 6,019

-12.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.53

$1.51 COP 4,763

-20.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.00 MX$51.6

$3.12 COP 9,853

-3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 MX$84.9

$5.75 COP 18.1K

-13.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MX$32.82

$1.44 COP 4,558

32.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 MX$56.1

$2.49 COP 7,843

31.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.72

$1.77 COP 5,595

14.12%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.80

$2.96 COP 9,336

-2.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.82 MX$117

$10.07 COP 31.8K

-32.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.94 MX$102

$10.12 COP 31.9K

-41.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.80 MX$203

$14.30 COP 45.1K

-17.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 MX$47.94

$4.14 COP 13.0K

-32.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 MX$31.16

$1.61 COP 5,073

13.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.33

$2.25 COP 7,083

-8.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.82

$2.25 COP 7,104

-7.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$2.04 COP 6,444

0.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.87

$1.54 COP 4,842

24.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.69

$1.17 COP 3,691

32.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 MX$22.45

$1.31 COP 4,121

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.99 MX$85.7

$3.90 COP 12.3K

27.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.41 MX$247

$14.01 COP 44.2K

2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 MX$26.88

$1.74 COP 5,498

-9.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 MX$47.05

$2.87 COP 9,053

-4.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$8.92

$1.22 COP 3,834

-57.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.43 MX$351

$80.5 COP 253.9K

-74.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 MX$61.4

$1.31 COP 4,129

173.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.69 MX$46.15

$2.19 COP 6,899

22.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.80 MX$288

$8.71 COP 27.5K

92.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MX$27.36

$1.37 COP 4,306

16.06%

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

$22.5K MX$386.1K

$27.8K COP 87.8M

-19.18%

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

$25.8K MX$442.3K

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-27.97%

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

$64.4 MX$1,105

$177 COP 559.3K

-63.71%

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

$20.67 MX$355

$13.88 COP 43.8K

48.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.76 MX$442

$29.72 COP 93.8K

-13.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.5 MX$1,347

$44.88 COP 141.6K

74.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.43 MX$368

$17.12 COP 54.0K

25.18%

Cinema Ticket

$5.85 MX$100

$6.65 COP 21.0K

-12.03%

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

$284 MX$4,872

$813 COP 2.6M

-65.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,989 MX$85.6K

$9,187 COP 29.0M

-45.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 MX$950

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-38.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.56 MX$816

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-19.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MX$1,831

$138 COP 435.9K

-22.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,822

$102 COP 322.1K

3.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$458 MX$7,867

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-56.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 MX$5,299

$663 COP 2.1M

-53.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 MX$10.9K

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-66.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$514 MX$8,815

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-50.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 MX$33.1K

$4,183 COP 13.2M

-53.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,230 MX$21.1K

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-26.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$859 MX$14.7K

$678 COP 2.1M

26.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.96

10.94

0.18%

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

Last update for Cholula: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $458 in Cholula versus $1,062 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 Cholula, 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 $51.0 in Cholula versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $275 in Cholula vs $305 in Medellin – so Cholula 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

Cholula vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 47% more than Cholula, 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 $1,715 per month in Cholula and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Cholula and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,143 in Cholula and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cholula, where all-in costs run around $1,143, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Cholula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cholula costs $1,143 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cholula. 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.