Cost of Living Comparison Between Colima and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Colima and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,047 in Colima versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,702 in Colima versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,357 in Colima versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Colima costs roughly 38% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Colima is 23% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 MX$134

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-2.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.34 MX$609

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-26.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 MX$130

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-23.96%

Cappuccino

$2.29 MX$39.48

$3.13 COP 9,767

-26.84%

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

$1.11 MX$19.14

$1.91 COP 5,954

-41.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 MX$14.92

$1.51 COP 4,712

-42.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 MX$41.20

$3.12 COP 9,747

-23.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 MX$45.90

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-53.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 MX$25.83

$1.44 COP 4,509

4.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 MX$48.06

$2.49 COP 7,759

12.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MX$24.96

$1.77 COP 5,535

-18.08%

Eggs

$2.66 MX$45.93

$2.96 COP 9,235

-10.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.43 MX$163

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-6.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.98 MX$155

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-11.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.67 MX$184

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-25.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 MX$52.4

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-26.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.31

$1.61 COP 5,019

1.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 MX$44.74

$2.25 COP 7,007

15.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 MX$45.58

$2.25 COP 7,028

17.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$42.23

$2.04 COP 6,375

20.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 MX$44.00

$1.54 COP 4,790

65.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 MX$26.40

$1.17 COP 3,651

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.92

$1.31 COP 4,077

-7.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.86 MX$66.5

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-1.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.90 MX$154

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-36.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.74 COP 5,439

-6.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 MX$33.82

$2.87 COP 8,956

-31.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 MX$12.27

$1.22 COP 3,792

-41.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.07 MX$363

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-73.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 MX$46.26

$1.31 COP 4,084

104.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.99 MX$51.6

$2.19 COP 6,825

36.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.36 MX$299

$8.71 COP 27.2K

99.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 MX$25.47

$1.37 COP 4,260

8.03%

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

$22.8K MX$392.7K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

-18.17%

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

$23.8K MX$409.8K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-33.56%

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

$69.0 MX$1,190

$177 COP 553.2K

-61.08%

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

$21.91 MX$378

$13.88 COP 43.3K

57.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.61 MX$545

$29.72 COP 92.8K

6.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.78 MX$651

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-15.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.40 MX$403

$17.12 COP 53.4K

36.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.90 MX$84.5

$6.65 COP 20.7K

-26.32%

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

$156 MX$2,691

$813 COP 2.5M

-80.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,644 MX$45.6K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-71.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.30 MX$816

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-47.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.77 MX$548

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-46.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.4 MX$1,438

$138 COP 431.2K

-39.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MX$1,893

$102 COP 318.7K

7.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 MX$4,821

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-73.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 MX$4,901

$663 COP 2.1M

-57.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 MX$6,799

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-79.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$628 MX$10.8K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-38.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$300 MX$5,180

$678 COP 2.1M

-55.67%

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 Colima: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $280 in Colima and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 126% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Colima vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $305 per month, with Colima cheaper across the board.

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

Colima vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colima and Medellin differ by about 61% in total monthly costs ($1,047 vs $1,681 including rent). Colima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 126% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $280 in Colima versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Colima runs roughly 282% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $156 in Colima versus $813 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,047 in Colima versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Colima but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Colima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Colima and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Colima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.