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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $998 per month in Cholula vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,578 per month in Cholula vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,158 per month in Cholula vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Cholula is about 3% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cholula and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Cholula 25% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.39 MX$217

$5.92 COP 21.4K

109.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 MX$820

$32.75 COP 118.2K

43.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 MX$136

$7.20 COP 26.0K

8.06%

Cappuccino

$3.67 MX$64.2

$1.70 COP 6,140

115.88%

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

$1.19 MX$20.89

$1.10 COP 3,966

8.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$16.08

$0.72 COP 2,605

27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 MX$40.92

$1.67 COP 6,022

40.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 MX$75.4

$3.10 COP 11.2K

39.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.06 COP 3,809

41.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 MX$46.88

$1.25 COP 4,497

114.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.50

$1.39 COP 5,022

12.95%

Eggs

$2.41 MX$42.16

$2.26 COP 8,168

6.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.98 MX$122

$4.33 COP 15.6K

61.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.34 MX$111

$5.84 COP 21.1K

8.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.13 MX$195

$8.83 COP 31.9K

26.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 MX$43.42

$2.24 COP 8,099

10.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 MX$24.67

$1.08 COP 3,882

30.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 MX$30.07

$1.53 COP 5,522

12.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.22

$1.37 COP 4,950

29.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.37

$1.13 COP 4,078

53.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 MX$33.10

$1.12 COP 4,036

68.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 MX$22.32

$0.85 COP 3,057

50.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 MX$19.21

$0.91 COP 3,281

20.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MX$75.3

$2.33 COP 8,414

84.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.60 MX$256

$11.13 COP 40.2K

31.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 MX$22.89

$1.19 COP 4,309

10.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 MX$49.21

$2.37 COP 8,553

18.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 MX$11.27

$0.79 COP 2,838

-18.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.99 MX$280

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-61.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$54.0

$1.44 COP 5,184

113.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 MX$21.55

$1.91 COP 6,901

-35.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.54 MX$185

$8.02 COP 28.9K

31.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.95

$0.94 COP 3,385

39.36%

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

$19.7K MX$344.8K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

9.95%

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

$20.3K MX$355.3K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-24.22%

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

$63.3 MX$1,108

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-24.57%

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

$22.29 MX$390

$9.60 COP 34.7K

132.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.16 MX$440

$24.16 COP 87.2K

4.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.58 MX$640

$25.88 COP 93.4K

41.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.78 MX$276

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-17.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.37 MX$93.9

$3.92 COP 14.1K

36.99%

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

$315 MX$5,508

$306 COP 1.1M

2.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,565 MX$62.4K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-39.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.0 MX$876

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-13.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.68 MX$747

$31.82 COP 114.9K

34.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 MX$1,895

$99.9 COP 360.6K

8.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 MX$1,746

$107 COP 386.8K

-6.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 MX$6,609

$487 COP 1.8M

-22.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 MX$4,466

$368 COP 1.3M

-30.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 MX$9,097

$826 COP 3.0M

-37.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 MX$6,840

$716 COP 2.6M

-45.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,972 MX$34.5K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-32.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,263 MX$22.1K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-10.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$865 MX$15.1K

$546 COP 2.0M

58.52%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $378 in Cholula versus $487 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 59% 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 $47.00 in Cholula versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 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

Medellin costs about 4% more than Cholula, 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 $1,497 per month in Cholula and $1,550 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 $47.00 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 $998 in Cholula and $1,034 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 $998, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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 $998 versus $1,034 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.