Cost of Living Comparison Between Ecatepec and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ecatepec and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,175 per month in Ecatepec vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,897 per month in Ecatepec vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,620 per month in Ecatepec vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Ecatepec costs about 14% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ecatepec and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Ecatepec 12% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.27 MX$233

$6.16 COP 20.1K

115.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.90 MX$823

$32.60 COP 106.1K

43.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.16 MX$161

$7.34 COP 23.9K

24.80%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.6

$1.72 COP 5,600

104.07%

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

$1.35 MX$23.72

$1.05 COP 3,420

28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 MX$17.37

$0.77 COP 2,515

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 MX$52.5

$1.69 COP 5,488

76.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 MX$82.5

$3.17 COP 10.3K

48.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.14

$1.05 COP 3,423

31.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$46.89

$1.30 COP 4,236

105.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.84

$1.40 COP 4,544

33.57%

Eggs

$2.56 MX$44.83

$2.16 COP 7,047

18.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 MX$142

$4.39 COP 14.3K

83.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$5.88 COP 19.1K

41.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.67 MX$205

$8.64 COP 28.1K

35.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$50.7

$2.28 COP 7,426

26.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 MX$30.09

$1.11 COP 3,604

54.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.45

$1.53 COP 4,983

35.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.90

$1.35 COP 4,410

47.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.43

$1.13 COP 3,674

63.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 MX$40.21

$1.13 COP 3,692

102.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.58

$0.85 COP 2,753

71.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.80

$0.91 COP 2,975

17.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MX$72.4

$2.34 COP 7,630

76.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.83 MX$295

$12.37 COP 40.3K

36.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$29.66

$1.20 COP 3,909

40.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$64.8

$2.49 COP 8,104

48.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.50

$0.84 COP 2,728

-28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.36 MX$515

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-27.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 MX$28.62

$1.42 COP 4,623

14.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.27

$1.92 COP 6,235

-84.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.49 MX$96.2

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-28.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$22.16

$0.99 COP 3,223

27.27%

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

$18.2K MX$319.0K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

0.86%

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

$21.7K MX$380.7K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-18.48%

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

$40.12 MX$704

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-50.35%

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

$21.43 MX$376

$9.95 COP 32.4K

115.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.95 MX$525

$24.18 COP 78.7K

23.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.02 MX$439

$25.08 COP 81.7K

-0.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.71 MX$188

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-44.07%

Cinema Ticket

$6.21 MX$109

$3.98 COP 13.0K

56.03%

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

$341 MX$5,973

$305 COP 993.5K

11.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,633 MX$63.7K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-40.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 MX$1,010

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-0.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.16 MX$792

$32.20 COP 104.8K

40.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,804

$101 COP 327.9K

2.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 MX$1,885

$108 COP 350.8K

-0.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 MX$8,905

$477 COP 1.6M

6.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$392 MX$6,880

$376 COP 1.2M

4.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 MX$16.1K

$845 COP 2.7M

8.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$756 MX$13.3K

$730 COP 2.4M

3.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$808 MX$14.2K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-74.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$798 MX$14.0K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-41.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$576 MX$10.1K

$617 COP 2.0M

-6.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

13.43

-14.37%

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

Last update for Ecatepec: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $508 in Ecatepec versus $477 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 7% higher in Medellin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Ecatepec versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $280 vs $193 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Ecatepec vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,175 in Ecatepec, $1,031 in Medellin – roughly 14% apart. Ecatepec costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,762 per month in Ecatepec and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Ecatepec and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,175 in Ecatepec and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Ecatepec at $1,175. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ecatepec it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,031 in Medellin to $1,175 in Ecatepec. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ecatepec makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.