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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,021 per month in Cholula vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,575 per month in Cholula vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,129 per month in Cholula vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Cholula and Medellin have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$206

$5.95 COP 20.8K

101.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.85 MX$787

$33.33 COP 116.3K

37.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 MX$140

$7.23 COP 25.2K

12.86%

Cappuccino

$3.64 MX$62.5

$1.63 COP 5,687

123.31%

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

$1.18 MX$20.21

$1.09 COP 3,821

8.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.71

$0.73 COP 2,548

26.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 MX$41.15

$1.74 COP 6,065

37.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 MX$71.5

$3.23 COP 11.3K

29.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.32

$1.05 COP 3,662

35.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 MX$43.76

$1.29 COP 4,515

97.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 MX$26.49

$1.32 COP 4,617

16.67%

Eggs

$2.42 MX$41.48

$2.27 COP 7,927

6.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.11 MX$122

$4.35 COP 15.2K

63.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 MX$111

$5.88 COP 20.5K

10.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$186

$8.61 COP 30.0K

26.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 MX$43.21

$2.25 COP 7,844

12.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MX$23.58

$1.07 COP 3,733

28.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.14

$1.52 COP 5,322

7.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.37

$1.42 COP 4,964

24.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 MX$29.15

$1.17 COP 4,084

45.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 MX$31.43

$1.17 COP 4,077

56.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 MX$21.64

$0.89 COP 3,096

41.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 MX$18.96

$0.90 COP 3,146

22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MX$73.8

$2.25 COP 7,837

91.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 MX$243

$11.04 COP 38.5K

28.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 MX$22.29

$1.14 COP 3,977

14.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 MX$48.88

$2.38 COP 8,301

19.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 MX$10.54

$0.84 COP 2,916

-27.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.36 MX$281

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-61.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$55.8

$1.41 COP 4,912

130.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 MX$21.35

$1.90 COP 6,634

-34.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.45 MX$179

$7.75 COP 27.0K

34.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.56

$1.01 COP 3,509

24.75%

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

$20.2K MX$346.4K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

14.82%

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

$20.6K MX$354.3K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-22.10%

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

$62.9 MX$1,080

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-24.83%

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

$22.37 MX$384

$9.45 COP 33.0K

136.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.48 MX$437

$24.11 COP 84.1K

5.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.39 MX$607

$25.31 COP 88.3K

39.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.73 MX$270

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-17.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.27 MX$90.5

$4.10 COP 14.3K

28.54%

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

$319 MX$5,478

$312 COP 1.1M

2.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,546 MX$60.9K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-40.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 MX$877

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-11.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.73 MX$733

$32.56 COP 113.6K

31.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,915

$99.6 COP 347.7K

12.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.7 MX$1,712

$109 COP 378.8K

-8.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 MX$6,270

$482 COP 1.7M

-24.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 MX$4,359

$379 COP 1.3M

-33.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 MX$8,774

$837 COP 2.9M

-38.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 MX$6,473

$723 COP 2.5M

-47.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,940 MX$33.3K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-31.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,240 MX$21.3K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

1.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$853 MX$14.6K

$541 COP 1.9M

57.78%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $365 in Cholula versus $482 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 58% higher in Cholula. 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: $246 vs $190 – 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,531 per month in Cholula and $1,525 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.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Cholula, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $319 per month in Cholula and $312 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Cholula at $1,021. 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 $1,017 versus $1,021 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.