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 $1,237 per month in Ciudad Juarez vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,996 per month in Ciudad Juarez vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,756 per month in Ciudad Juarez vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Ciudad Juarez is about 26% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Ciudad Juarez sits 10% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.86 MX$169

$8.02 COP 24.9K

22.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.46 MX$608

$47.87 COP 148.7K

-25.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.86 MX$186

$9.89 COP 30.7K

9.81%

Cappuccino

$3.03 MX$51.9

$3.13 COP 9,724

-3.19%

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

$1.17 MX$20.05

$1.91 COP 5,928

-38.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 MX$12.99

$1.51 COP 4,692

-49.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 MX$38.58

$3.12 COP 9,705

-27.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-20.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MX$31.16

$1.44 COP 4,489

26.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 MX$40.45

$2.49 COP 7,725

-5.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 MX$29.79

$1.77 COP 5,510

-1.69%

Eggs

$2.45 MX$42.04

$2.96 COP 9,195

-17.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.47 MX$231

$10.07 COP 31.3K

33.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.03 MX$120

$10.12 COP 31.4K

-30.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.66 MX$217

$14.30 COP 44.4K

-11.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 MX$48.60

$4.14 COP 12.8K

-31.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$1.61 COP 4,997

36.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.49

$2.25 COP 6,976

-15.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.81

$2.25 COP 6,997

-4.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 MX$29.71

$2.04 COP 6,347

-15.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 MX$41.25

$1.54 COP 4,769

56.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.59

$1.17 COP 3,635

37.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.33

$1.31 COP 4,059

-9.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.92 MX$84.4

$3.90 COP 12.1K

26.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.84 MX$203

$14.01 COP 43.5K

-15.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$23.18

$1.74 COP 5,415

-22.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 MX$58.7

$2.87 COP 8,917

19.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MX$12.59

$1.22 COP 3,776

-40.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.94 MX$496

$80.5 COP 250.0K

-64.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.35 MX$74.5

$1.31 COP 4,066

232.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 MX$20.52

$2.19 COP 6,796

-45.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.62 MX$302

$8.71 COP 27.1K

102.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.58

$1.37 COP 4,241

0.73%

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

$23.0K MX$394.4K

$27.8K COP 86.5M

-17.35%

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

$26.4K MX$453.1K

$35.8K COP 111.1M

-26.12%

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

$91.1 MX$1,562

$177 COP 550.8K

-48.60%

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

$23.97 MX$411

$13.88 COP 43.1K

72.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.67 MX$526

$29.72 COP 92.4K

3.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.10 MX$602

$44.88 COP 139.4K

-21.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.82 MX$271

$17.12 COP 53.2K

-7.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.58 MX$78.4

$6.65 COP 20.6K

-31.13%

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

$229 MX$3,931

$813 COP 2.5M

-71.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,027 MX$51.9K

$9,187 COP 28.5M

-67.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.2 MX$1,084

$89.5 COP 278.0K

-29.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.10 MX$602

$59.0 COP 183.2K

-40.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 MX$1,350

$138 COP 429.4K

-43.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 MX$1,502

$102 COP 317.3K

-14.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 MX$11.0K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-39.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 MX$6,984

$663 COP 2.1M

-38.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,066 MX$18.3K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-43.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$917 MX$15.7K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-10.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,029 MX$17.6K

$4,183 COP 13.0M

-75.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$731 MX$12.5K

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-56.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 MX$10.7K

$678 COP 2.1M

-7.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.32

10.94

3.47%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ciudad Juarez: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $639 in Ciudad Juarez versus $1,062 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 8% 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 $35.00 in Ciudad Juarez versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $305 – making Ciudad Juarez 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,237 in Ciudad Juarez, $1,681 in Medellin – roughly 36% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,856 per month in Ciudad Juarez and $2,521 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 $35.00 in Ciudad Juarez and $48.00 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 $1,237 in Ciudad Juarez and $1,681 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 $1,237, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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 $1,237 in Ciudad Juarez to $1,681 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.