🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,280 in Cuautla versus $1,641 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,096 in Cuautla versus $2,447 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,912 in Cuautla versus $3,253 in Medellin.
🌍Living in Cuautla costs roughly 22% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Cuautla is 7% below, Medellin is 19% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cuautla
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.63MX$197
$8.04COP 24.8K
44.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.3MX$1,091
$48.29COP 148.6K
33.22%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.44MX$160
$9.42COP 29.0K
0.21%
Cappuccino
$3.94MX$66.8
$2.94COP 9,040
34.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83MX$31.02
$1.86COP 5,735
-1.61%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.15MX$19.47
$1.46COP 4,479
-21.23%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.80MX$64.4
$3.21COP 9,882
18.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.94MX$101
$5.71COP 17.6K
4.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cuautla
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.97MX$33.42
$1.44COP 4,428
36.81%
White Bread(500g)
$2.85MX$48.41
$2.40COP 7,389
18.75%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.07MX$35.16
$1.70COP 5,228
21.76%
Eggs
$2.92MX$49.54
$2.89COP 8,896
1.04%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.48MX$161
$10.06COP 30.9K
-5.77%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.66MX$164
$9.97COP 30.7K
-3.11%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.64MX$248
$14.20COP 43.7K
3.10%
Apples(1kg)
$3.71MX$62.9
$3.98COP 12.3K
-6.78%
Banana(1kg)
$1.69MX$28.72
$1.58COP 4,878
6.96%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.32MX$39.32
$2.15COP 6,624
7.91%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.06MX$34.91
$2.30COP 7,078
-10.43%
Potato(1kg)
$2.05MX$34.80
$2.00COP 6,169
2.50%
Onion(1kg)
$1.88MX$31.92
$1.51COP 4,646
24.50%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.56MX$26.54
$1.20COP 3,701
30.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.32MX$22.32
$1.28COP 3,946
3.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.79MX$81.3
$3.84COP 11.8K
24.74%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.08MX$324
$14.01COP 43.1K
36.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.38MX$40.43
$1.71COP 5,256
39.18%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.36MX$74.0
$2.74COP 8,440
59.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Cuautla
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.74MX$12.53
$1.25COP 3,834
-40.80%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$77.9COP 239.7K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.52MX$59.7
$1.31COP 4,016
168.70%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.72MX$46.15
$2.17COP 6,680
25.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$11.74MX$199
$8.29COP 25.5K
41.62%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.42MX$24.07
$1.36COP 4,172
4.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.7KMX$384.9K
$27.5KCOP 84.5M
-17.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6KMX$433.9K
$36.5KCOP 112.4M
-29.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cuautla
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$65.9MX$1,118
$169COP 519.2K
-60.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.94MX$491
$13.57COP 41.8K
113.26%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.03MX$459
$28.32COP 87.2K
-4.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cuautla
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$37.41MX$635
$45.71COP 140.7K
-18.16%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.19MX$359
$17.22COP 53.0K
23.05%
Cinema Ticket
$8.01MX$136
$6.65COP 20.5K
20.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cuautla
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$285MX$4,839
$803COP 2.5M
-64.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,377MX$91.2K
$9,190COP 28.3M
-41.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cuautla
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.8MX$946
$87.4COP 268.8K
-36.17%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.98MX$831
$59.4COP 182.7K
-17.50%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$106MX$1,798
$139COP 427.5K
-23.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105MX$1,784
$102COP 314.0K
3.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cuautla
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$657MX$11.2K
$1,071COP 3.3M
-38.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$418MX$7,097
$653COP 2.0M
-35.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,128MX$19.1K
$1,925COP 5.9M
-41.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$808MX$13.7K
$1,048COP 3.2M
-22.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,954MX$33.2K
$4,123COP 12.7M
-52.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,218MX$20.7K
$1,697COP 5.2M
-28.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cuautla
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$655COP 2.0M
-
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: September 7, 2026
Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Cuautla and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $64.0 in Cuautla vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $328 vs $300 per month, with Medellin 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
Cuautla vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Cuautla?
Cuautla is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,920 in Cuautla and $2,462 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: $657 in Cuautla versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $285 in Cuautla versus $803 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 Cuautla – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $48.00 in Medellin. 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 $1,280 in Cuautla versus $1,641 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 Cuautla or Medellin more family-friendly?
For families, Cuautla is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Cuautla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.