Cost of Living Comparison Between Coatzacoalcos and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Coatzacoalcos and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,229 per month in Coatzacoalcos vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,963 per month in Coatzacoalcos vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,696 per month in Coatzacoalcos vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Coatzacoalcos is about 27% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Coatzacoalcos
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.03 MX$189
$8.02 COP 25.3K
37.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.6 MX$903
$47.87 COP 151.0K
9.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.93 MX$153
$9.89 COP 31.2K
-9.71%
Cappuccino
$3.60 MX$61.7
$3.13 COP 9,873
15.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39 MX$23.90
$1.91 COP 6,019
-27.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.96 MX$16.47
$1.51 COP 4,763
-36.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.00 MX$51.5
$3.12 COP 9,853
-3.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.72 MX$81.1
$5.75 COP 18.1K
-17.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Coatzacoalcos
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.67 MX$28.63
$1.44 COP 4,558
15.97%
White Bread (500g)
$2.73 MX$46.86
$2.49 COP 7,843
9.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.85 MX$31.69
$1.77 COP 5,595
4.52%
Eggs
$2.67 MX$45.84
$2.96 COP 9,336
-9.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.64 MX$148
$10.07 COP 31.8K
-14.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.23 MX$176
$10.12 COP 31.9K
1.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.68 MX$218
$14.30 COP 45.1K
-11.33%
Apples (1kg)
$3.33 MX$57.2
$4.14 COP 13.0K
-19.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.67 MX$28.68
$1.61 COP 5,073
3.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.34 MX$40.21
$2.25 COP 7,083
4.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.72 MX$29.47
$2.25 COP 7,104
-23.56%
Potato (1kg)
$2.21 MX$37.89
$2.04 COP 6,444
8.33%
Onion (1kg)
$2.13 MX$36.54
$1.54 COP 4,842
38.31%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.39 MX$23.86
$1.17 COP 3,691
18.80%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 MX$20.76
$1.31 COP 4,121
-7.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.14 MX$88.3
$3.90 COP 12.3K
31.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.58 MX$182
$14.01 COP 44.2K
-24.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.04 MX$34.94
$1.74 COP 5,498
17.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98 MX$51.1
$2.87 COP 9,053
3.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Coatzacoalcos
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.73 MX$12.57
$1.22 COP 3,834
-40.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$80.5 COP 253.9K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 MX$46.78
$1.31 COP 4,129
108.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.93 MX$33.18
$2.19 COP 6,899
-11.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.64 MX$200
$8.71 COP 27.5K
33.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.68 MX$28.88
$1.37 COP 4,306
22.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.8K MX$425.5K
$27.8K COP 87.8M
-10.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K MX$448.3K
$35.8K COP 112.8M
-27.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Coatzacoalcos
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$56.7 MX$973
$177 COP 559.3K
-68.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.86 MX$461
$13.88 COP 43.8K
93.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.17 MX$501
$29.72 COP 93.8K
-1.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Coatzacoalcos
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.35 MX$538
$44.88 COP 141.6K
-30.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.55 MX$318
$17.12 COP 54.0K
8.35%
Cinema Ticket
$4.91 MX$84.3
$6.65 COP 21.0K
-26.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Coatzacoalcos
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$231 MX$3,957
$813 COP 2.6M
-71.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,273 MX$90.5K
$9,187 COP 29.0M
-42.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Coatzacoalcos
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.5 MX$1,089
$89.5 COP 282.3K
-29.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.3 MX$863
$59.0 COP 186.0K
-14.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 MX$1,855
$138 COP 435.9K
-21.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.2 MX$1,360
$102 COP 322.1K
-22.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Coatzacoalcos
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$641 MX$11.0K
$1,062 COP 3.3M
-39.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$431 MX$7,392
$663 COP 2.1M
-35.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,053 MX$18.1K
$1,888 COP 6.0M
-44.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$831 MX$14.3K
$1,027 COP 3.2M
-19.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,944 MX$33.4K
$4,183 COP 13.2M
-53.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,193 MX$20.5K
$1,675 COP 5.3M
-28.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Coatzacoalcos
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$678 COP 2.1M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.3
10.94
3.29%

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

Last update for Coatzacoalcos: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $641 in Coatzacoalcos 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Coatzacoalcos versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $290 in Coatzacoalcos vs $305 in Medellin – so Coatzacoalcos 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
Coatzacoalcos vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Coatzacoalcos?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,843 per month in Coatzacoalcos and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Coatzacoalcos, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Coatzacoalcos or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Coatzacoalcos and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Coatzacoalcos and in Medellin?
Groceries cost about 5% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Coatzacoalcos or in Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Coatzacoalcos, where all-in costs run around $1,229, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Coatzacoalcos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Coatzacoalcos or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Coatzacoalcos – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Coatzacoalcos. 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.

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