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 $979 per month in Ciudad Juarez vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,654 per month in Ciudad Juarez vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,329 per month in Ciudad Juarez vs $2,167 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 27% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 MX$141

$6.16 COP 20.1K

30.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.29 MX$549

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-4.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.10 MX$177

$7.34 COP 23.9K

37.60%

Cappuccino

$3.27 MX$57.3

$1.72 COP 5,600

90.12%

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

$1.13 MX$19.79

$1.05 COP 3,420

7.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 MX$14.91

$0.77 COP 2,515

10.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 MX$38.13

$1.69 COP 5,488

28.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 MX$68.4

$3.17 COP 10.3K

23.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 MX$28.69

$1.05 COP 3,423

56.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 MX$41.33

$1.30 COP 4,236

81.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.78

$1.40 COP 4,544

25.00%

Eggs

$2.39 MX$41.94

$2.16 COP 7,047

10.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.12 MX$195

$4.39 COP 14.3K

153.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.63 MX$151

$5.88 COP 19.1K

46.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 MX$156

$8.64 COP 28.1K

2.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.88

$2.28 COP 7,426

-12.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 MX$21.55

$1.11 COP 3,604

10.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 MX$30.09

$1.53 COP 4,983

12.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 MX$40.13

$1.35 COP 4,410

69.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 MX$27.25

$1.13 COP 3,674

37.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 MX$43.68

$1.13 COP 3,692

120.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 MX$36.82

$0.85 COP 2,753

147.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.32

$0.91 COP 2,975

-9.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 MX$74.1

$2.34 COP 7,630

80.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.38 MX$200

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-8.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$21.08

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 MX$62.1

$2.49 COP 8,104

42.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 MX$10.85

$0.84 COP 2,728

-26.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.44 MX$674

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-5.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 MX$45.39

$1.42 COP 4,623

82.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 MX$17.64

$1.92 COP 6,235

-47.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.91 MX$279

$7.66 COP 24.9K

107.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 MX$20.40

$0.99 COP 3,223

17.17%

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

$23.9K MX$418.6K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

32.37%

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

$21.3K MX$373.3K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-20.08%

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

$67.4 MX$1,182

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-16.62%

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

$23.23 MX$408

$9.95 COP 32.4K

133.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.08 MX$563

$24.18 COP 78.7K

32.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.18 MX$529

$25.08 COP 81.7K

20.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.78 MX$189

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-43.71%

Cinema Ticket

$4.39 MX$77.0

$3.98 COP 13.0K

10.30%

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

$210 MX$3,684

$305 COP 993.5K

-31.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,645 MX$46.4K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-56.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.50 MX$728

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-28.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.32 MX$374

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-33.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.1 MX$1,440

$101 COP 327.9K

-18.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.1 MX$1,229

$108 COP 350.8K

-34.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 MX$6,883

$477 COP 1.6M

-17.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$245 MX$4,301

$376 COP 1.2M

-34.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$876 MX$15.4K

$845 COP 2.7M

3.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$743 MX$13.0K

$730 COP 2.4M

1.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,009 MX$17.7K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-68.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$713 MX$12.5K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-48.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 MX$10.6K

$617 COP 2.0M

-1.84%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $392 in Ciudad Juarez versus $477 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 2% higher in Medellin, 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 $31.00 in Ciudad Juarez versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $259 in Ciudad Juarez vs $193 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: $979 in Ciudad Juarez, $1,031 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 $1,469 per month in Ciudad Juarez and $1,546 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 $979 in Ciudad Juarez and $1,031 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 $979, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $979 in Ciudad Juarez to $1,031 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.