Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuautla and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Cuautla: $1,245 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cuautla, Mexico
Medellin, Colombia
Cuautla
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,245
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cuautla and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cuautla and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,245 in Cuautla versus $1,639 in Medellin.

  • Cuautla $1,245
  • Medellin $1,639

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,023 in Cuautla versus $2,413 in Medellin.

  • Cuautla $2,023
  • Medellin $2,413

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,801 in Cuautla versus $3,186 in Medellin.

  • Cuautla $2,801
  • Medellin $3,186

Living in Cuautla costs roughly 24% less than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cuautla is 8% below, Medellin is 20% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cuautla
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$204
$8.09 COP 25.4K
34.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.4 MX$1,147
$47.05 COP 148.0K
30.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.67 MX$181
$9.50 COP 29.9K
1.79%
Cappuccino
$3.51 MX$65.5
$3.01 COP 9,485
16.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 MX$30.40
$1.80 COP 5,660
-9.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 MX$20.10
$1.41 COP 4,443
-23.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.20 MX$59.8
$3.18 COP 9,990
0.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.50 MX$103
$5.75 COP 18.1K
-4.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cuautla
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.91 MX$35.71
$1.51 COP 4,751
26.49%
White Bread (500g)
$2.70 MX$50.4
$2.38 COP 7,480
13.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.98 MX$36.94
$1.77 COP 5,573
11.86%
Eggs
$2.71 MX$50.6
$2.89 COP 9,093
-6.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.53 MX$159
$10.19 COP 32.1K
-16.29%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.71 MX$163
$9.87 COP 31.1K
-11.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.62 MX$255
$13.99 COP 44.0K
-2.64%
Apples (1kg)
$3.43 MX$64.1
$3.97 COP 12.5K
-13.60%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 MX$30.58
$1.55 COP 4,883
5.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.11 MX$39.51
$2.18 COP 6,867
-3.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.92
$2.18 COP 6,870
-11.93%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 MX$33.47
$1.96 COP 6,174
-8.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.79 MX$33.40
$1.59 COP 5,000
12.58%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.50 MX$27.94
$1.15 COP 3,604
30.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 MX$21.76
$1.24 COP 3,911
-6.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.46 MX$83.3
$3.96 COP 12.5K
12.63%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.34 MX$324
$13.68 COP 43.0K
26.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.10 MX$39.26
$1.66 COP 5,222
26.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78 MX$70.7
$2.26 COP 7,104
67.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Cuautla
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.63 MX$11.81
$1.17 COP 3,674
-46.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.38 MX$549
$77.4 COP 243.4K
-62.03%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 MX$60.6
$1.27 COP 3,989
155.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.50 MX$46.80
$2.05 COP 6,442
21.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.67 MX$199
$8.55 COP 26.9K
24.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 MX$23.33
$1.35 COP 4,237
-7.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.8K MX$445.0K
$34.1K COP 107.2M
-30.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$438.4K
$34.7K COP 109.1M
-32.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cuautla
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$57.5 MX$1,074
$170 COP 533.7K
-66.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.76 MX$500
$13.55 COP 42.6K
97.49%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.76 MX$463
$28.07 COP 88.3K
-11.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cuautla
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.01 MX$617
$43.70 COP 137.5K
-24.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.49 MX$364
$17.19 COP 54.1K
13.38%
Cinema Ticket
$7.35 MX$137
$6.91 COP 21.7K
6.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cuautla
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$259 MX$4,840
$797 COP 2.5M
-67.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,899 MX$91.5K
$9,112 COP 28.7M
-46.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cuautla
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.7 MX$985
$84.7 COP 266.5K
-37.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.41 MX$811
$58.0 COP 182.3K
-25.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.2 MX$1,816
$135 COP 424.6K
-28.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.9 MX$1,773
$97.9 COP 307.9K
-3.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cuautla
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$649 MX$12.1K
$1,208 COP 3.8M
-46.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$414 MX$7,728
$642 COP 2.0M
-35.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$952 MX$17.8K
$2,028 COP 6.4M
-53.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$783 MX$14.6K
$1,012 COP 3.2M
-22.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,039 MX$38.1K
$4,170 COP 13.1M
-51.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$976 MX$18.2K
$1,910 COP 6.0M
-48.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cuautla
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$657 COP 2.1M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.99
10.94
9.60%

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

Last update for Cuautla: October 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cuautla
$414
Medellin
$642 55.1% $228
Groceries & Markets
Cuautla
$302
Medellin
$297 1.5% $4.5
Eating Out
Cuautla
$196
Medellin
$170 13.6% $27
Clothing & Footwear
Cuautla
$130
Medellin
$169 30.3% $39
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cuautla
$109
Medellin
$211 93.8% $102
Getting Around
Cuautla
$48
Medellin
$94 96.2% $46
Sport & Entertainment
Cuautla
$48
Medellin
$58 20.6% $9.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $649 in Cuautla and $1,208 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $61 in Cuautla vs $47 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $297 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Cuautla
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
03:12 3:12 AM
04:12 4:12 AM
1 h ahead of Cuautla
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
157,336
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.69 MXN (100 MXN = 5.35 USD). 1 EUR = 20.8 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,501 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cuautla Medellin 2,890 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cuautla
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Cuautla vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cuautla cheaper than Medellin?
Cuautla is cheaper overall, especially in transport, clothing, and leisure. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $1,868 in Cuautla and $2,459 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Cuautla and Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $649 in Cuautla versus $1,208 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $259 in Cuautla versus $797 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Cuautla or in Medellin?
Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $47 versus $61 in Cuautla. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Cuautla or in Medellin?
At $1,245 in Cuautla versus $1,639 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cuautla but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cuautla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Cuautla or in Medellin?
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.

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