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: $912 in Colima versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,467 in Colima versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,022 in Colima versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Colima costs roughly 12% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colima 32% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.38 MX$112

$6.16 COP 20.1K

3.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.42 MX$551

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-3.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 MX$137

$7.34 COP 23.9K

6.68%

Cappuccino

$2.09 MX$36.65

$1.72 COP 5,600

21.51%

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

$0.77 MX$13.55

$1.05 COP 3,420

-26.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.77 COP 2,515

-33.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 MX$30.63

$1.69 COP 5,488

3.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 MX$47.69

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-14.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.47

$1.05 COP 3,423

27.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 MX$45.58

$1.30 COP 4,236

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 MX$24.18

$1.40 COP 4,544

-1.43%

Eggs

$2.25 MX$39.40

$2.16 COP 7,047

4.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.93 MX$104

$4.39 COP 14.3K

35.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.72 MX$135

$5.88 COP 19.1K

31.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 MX$168

$8.64 COP 28.1K

11.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$48.24

$2.28 COP 7,426

20.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 MX$22.62

$1.11 COP 3,604

16.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.56

$1.53 COP 4,983

-1.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.32

$1.35 COP 4,410

61.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.31

$1.13 COP 3,674

58.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 MX$40.50

$1.13 COP 3,692

104.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 MX$23.39

$0.85 COP 2,753

56.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$19.01

$0.91 COP 2,975

18.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.61 MX$63.3

$2.34 COP 7,630

54.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.73 MX$118

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-45.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 MX$27.45

$1.20 COP 3,909

30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$2.49 COP 8,104

-24.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.55

$0.84 COP 2,728

-28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.07 MX$335

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-52.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 MX$40.74

$1.42 COP 4,623

63.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 MX$26.88

$1.92 COP 6,235

-20.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.51 MX$149

$7.66 COP 24.9K

11.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$22.53

$0.99 COP 3,223

29.29%

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

$21.9K MX$383.6K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

21.31%

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

$21.3K MX$373.2K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-20.09%

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

$62.5 MX$1,096

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-22.65%

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

$19.09 MX$335

$9.95 COP 32.4K

91.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.93 MX$543

$24.18 COP 78.7K

27.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.04 MX$597

$25.08 COP 81.7K

35.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.89 MX$366

$19.15 COP 62.3K

9.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.48 MX$78.5

$3.98 COP 13.0K

12.56%

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

$141 MX$2,468

$305 COP 993.5K

-53.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,406 MX$42.2K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-60.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.85 MX$822

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-19.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.87 MX$489

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-13.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 MX$1,525

$101 COP 327.9K

-13.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.1 MX$1,720

$108 COP 350.8K

-8.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 MX$8,957

$477 COP 1.6M

7.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 MX$4,473

$376 COP 1.2M

-32.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$326 MX$5,717

$845 COP 2.7M

-61.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 MX$9,656

$730 COP 2.4M

-24.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$298 MX$5,234

$617 COP 2.0M

-51.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.07

13.43

-17.57%

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

Last update for Colima: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $511 in Colima and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 107% 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: $31.00 in Colima vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $231 vs $193, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 13% in total monthly costs ($912 vs $1,031 including rent). Colima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 107% 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: $511 in Colima versus $477 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 113% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $141 in Colima versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $912 in Colima versus $1,031 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 13% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.