Cost of Living Comparison Between Ciudad Juarez and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ciudad Juarez and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $963 per month in Ciudad Juarez vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,665 per month in Ciudad Juarez vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,366 per month in Ciudad Juarez vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Ciudad Juarez is about 5% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ciudad Juarez and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Ciudad Juarez 28% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.98 MX$138

$5.99 COP 21.4K

33.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.30 MX$541

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-4.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.22 MX$177

$7.09 COP 25.3K

44.15%

Cappuccino

$3.28 MX$56.7

$1.71 COP 6,115

91.81%

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

$1.15 MX$19.84

$1.10 COP 3,924

4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.92

$0.78 COP 2,781

3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 MX$37.17

$1.68 COP 5,997

27.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 MX$68.4

$3.07 COP 11.0K

28.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 MX$27.04

$1.09 COP 3,906

43.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 MX$40.48

$1.26 COP 4,508

85.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 MX$31.94

$1.38 COP 4,922

34.06%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$42.55

$2.19 COP 7,827

12.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.09 MX$192

$4.40 COP 15.7K

152.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.67 MX$150

$5.63 COP 20.1K

54.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.92 MX$154

$8.89 COP 31.8K

0.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 MX$33.38

$2.34 COP 8,349

-17.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 MX$20.89

$1.06 COP 3,777

14.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 MX$28.86

$1.50 COP 5,374

11.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.38 MX$41.22

$1.38 COP 4,924

72.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.89

$1.15 COP 4,111

34.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 MX$41.87

$1.16 COP 4,155

108.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 MX$36.33

$0.89 COP 3,182

135.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.23

$0.84 COP 2,997

4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.6

$2.28 COP 8,145

84.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.64 MX$201

$10.64 COP 38.0K

9.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 MX$20.31

$1.20 COP 4,284

-2.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 MX$61.2

$2.47 COP 8,824

43.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 MX$10.55

$0.86 COP 3,056

-29.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.24 MX$679

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-5.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 MX$46.47

$1.47 COP 5,264

82.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MX$17.62

$1.96 COP 7,009

-47.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.56 MX$269

$7.74 COP 27.6K

101.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 MX$20.93

$0.95 COP 3,409

27.37%

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

$23.4K MX$404.7K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

29.05%

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

$21.4K MX$369.3K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-19.39%

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

$67.4 MX$1,165

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-18.08%

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

$23.94 MX$414

$9.50 COP 33.9K

152.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.37 MX$543

$24.23 COP 86.5K

29.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.13 MX$521

$25.89 COP 92.4K

16.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.60 MX$183

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-44.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.56 MX$78.8

$3.93 COP 14.0K

16.03%

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

$210 MX$3,629

$309 COP 1.1M

-32.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,689 MX$46.5K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-54.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.13 MX$729

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-28.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.23 MX$367

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-34.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$103 COP 366.4K

-22.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.2 MX$1,197

$108 COP 387.2K

-36.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 MX$6,722

$476 COP 1.7M

-18.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 MX$4,269

$379 COP 1.4M

-34.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$875 MX$15.1K

$838 COP 3.0M

4.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$739 MX$12.8K

$724 COP 2.6M

2.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,009 MX$17.5K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-63.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$730 MX$12.6K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-39.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$615 MX$10.6K

$512 COP 1.8M

20.23%

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 Ciudad Juarez: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $389 in Ciudad Juarez versus $476 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 20% higher in Ciudad Juarez, 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 $31.00 in Ciudad Juarez versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $260 in Ciudad Juarez vs $188 in Medellin – so Medellin 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

Ciudad Juarez vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $963 in Ciudad Juarez, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 5% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,444 per month in Ciudad Juarez and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ciudad Juarez, 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 $31.00 in Ciudad Juarez 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 $963 in Ciudad Juarez and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ciudad Juarez, where all-in costs run around $963, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Ciudad Juarez it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $963 in Ciudad Juarez to $1,013 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Ciudad Juarez. 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.