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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,012 per month in Cholula vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,583 per month in Cholula vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,155 per month in Cholula vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Cholula costs about 1% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cholula and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Cholula 24% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 MX$213

$5.91 COP 18.6K

108.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.30 MX$801

$32.96 COP 103.8K

40.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 MX$141

$7.43 COP 23.4K

9.83%

Cappuccino

$3.54 MX$61.2

$1.65 COP 5,207

114.55%

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

$1.23 MX$21.36

$1.10 COP 3,468

11.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 MX$14.78

$0.78 COP 2,458

8.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 MX$41.59

$1.72 COP 5,412

39.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 MX$71.7

$3.18 COP 10.0K

30.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.10 COP 3,474

36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 MX$46.31

$1.26 COP 3,962

112.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 MX$27.59

$1.38 COP 4,349

15.22%

Eggs

$2.39 MX$41.30

$2.18 COP 6,858

9.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.85 MX$118

$4.49 COP 14.1K

52.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 MX$110

$5.79 COP 18.2K

9.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.18 MX$193

$8.97 COP 28.2K

24.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 MX$44.42

$2.32 COP 7,308

10.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MX$23.62

$1.06 COP 3,352

29.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.63

$1.52 COP 4,774

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.13

$1.36 COP 4,270

32.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.54

$1.13 COP 3,552

56.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.14

$1.17 COP 3,689

64.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 MX$22.10

$0.90 COP 2,838

42.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.11

$0.90 COP 2,823

28.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.37 MX$75.6

$2.23 COP 7,034

95.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.23 MX$246

$12.12 COP 38.2K

17.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 MX$23.69

$1.19 COP 3,743

15.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 MX$47.53

$2.48 COP 7,815

10.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.36

$0.85 COP 2,687

-29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.82 MX$274

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-61.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 MX$53.8

$1.42 COP 4,459

119.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 MX$20.66

$1.95 COP 6,141

-38.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.42 MX$180

$7.89 COP 24.8K

32.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.91

$0.99 COP 3,118

28.28%

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

$19.9K MX$343.9K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

12.91%

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

$20.2K MX$349.4K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-24.65%

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

$63.0 MX$1,089

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-24.14%

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

$22.13 MX$383

$9.70 COP 30.5K

128.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.37 MX$439

$23.52 COP 74.1K

7.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.45 MX$631

$25.26 COP 79.5K

44.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.01 MX$277

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-16.18%

Cinema Ticket

$5.15 MX$89.2

$3.95 COP 12.4K

30.38%

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

$319 MX$5,516

$316 COP 994.2K

0.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,647 MX$63.1K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-38.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 MX$867

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-16.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.38 MX$733

$31.82 COP 100.2K

33.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MX$1,924

$102 COP 320.1K

9.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 MX$1,727

$107 COP 338.3K

-7.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 MX$6,328

$475 COP 1.5M

-22.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 MX$4,389

$374 COP 1.2M

-32.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 MX$8,864

$849 COP 2.7M

-39.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 MX$6,506

$719 COP 2.3M

-47.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,925 MX$33.3K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-41.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,239 MX$21.4K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-13.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$869 MX$15.0K

$624 COP 2.0M

39.20%

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 Cholula: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $366 in Cholula versus $475 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 39% higher in Cholula, 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 $46.00 in Cholula versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $193 – 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

Cholula vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cholula costs about 1% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,518 per month in Cholula and $1,504 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Cholula and $33.00 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 $1,012 in Cholula and $1,003 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Cholula at $1,012. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cholula it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,003 versus $1,012 in Cholula. 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cholula makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.