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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,033 per month in Ecatepec vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,820 per month in Ecatepec vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,607 per month in Ecatepec vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Ecatepec is about 39% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ecatepec sits 24% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.71 MX$252

$8.02 COP 25.3K

83.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.48 MX$798

$47.87 COP 151.0K

-2.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 MX$189

$9.89 COP 31.2K

11.32%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$69.5

$3.13 COP 9,873

29.39%

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

$1.67 MX$28.70

$1.91 COP 6,019

-12.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.44

$1.51 COP 4,763

-25.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.53 MX$60.7

$3.12 COP 9,853

13.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 MX$100

$5.75 COP 18.1K

1.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 MX$27.07

$1.44 COP 4,558

9.72%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 MX$55.5

$2.49 COP 7,843

29.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.97

$1.77 COP 5,595

8.47%

Eggs

$2.88 MX$49.49

$2.96 COP 9,336

-2.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.83 MX$152

$10.07 COP 31.8K

-12.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.32 MX$177

$10.12 COP 31.9K

1.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.07 MX$276

$14.30 COP 45.1K

12.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 MX$59.0

$4.14 COP 13.0K

-16.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.31

$1.61 COP 5,073

9.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.96

$2.25 COP 7,083

-7.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 MX$42.39

$2.25 COP 7,104

9.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.02

$2.04 COP 6,444

5.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 MX$33.07

$1.54 COP 4,842

25.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MX$20.61

$1.17 COP 3,691

2.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 MX$24.36

$1.31 COP 4,121

8.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.75 MX$81.5

$3.90 COP 12.3K

21.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.21 MX$295

$14.01 COP 44.2K

22.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.29

$1.74 COP 5,498

18.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 MX$69.5

$2.87 COP 9,053

41.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MX$12.46

$1.22 COP 3,834

-40.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.63 MX$560

$80.5 COP 253.9K

-59.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$35.23

$1.31 COP 4,129

56.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.58

$2.19 COP 6,899

-74.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 MX$100

$8.71 COP 27.5K

-32.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 MX$27.06

$1.37 COP 4,306

15.33%

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

$22.5K MX$386.4K

$27.8K COP 87.8M

-19.13%

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

$25.2K MX$432.7K

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-29.54%

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

$44.28 MX$760

$177 COP 559.3K

-75.03%

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

$16.83 MX$289

$13.88 COP 43.8K

21.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.52 MX$627

$29.72 COP 93.8K

22.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.85 MX$478

$44.88 COP 141.6K

-37.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 MX$202

$17.12 COP 54.0K

-31.13%

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 MX$119

$6.65 COP 21.0K

4.51%

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

$377 MX$6,469

$813 COP 2.6M

-53.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,149 MX$88.4K

$9,187 COP 29.0M

-43.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 MX$1,212

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-21.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 MX$952

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-5.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,962

$138 COP 435.9K

-17.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,077

$102 COP 322.1K

18.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 MX$4,497

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-75.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 MX$2,512

$663 COP 2.1M

-77.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$743 MX$12.7K

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-60.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 MX$8,155

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-53.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$813 MX$13.9K

$4,183 COP 13.2M

-80.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$820 MX$14.1K

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-51.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$585 MX$10.0K

$678 COP 2.1M

-13.66%

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 Ecatepec: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $262 in Ecatepec versus $1,062 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 16% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Ecatepec versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $327 in Ecatepec vs $305 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $1,033 in Ecatepec, $1,681 in Medellin – roughly 63% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,549 per month in Ecatepec and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ecatepec, 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 $46.00 in Ecatepec and $48.00 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 $1,033 in Ecatepec and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ecatepec, where all-in costs run around $1,033, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Ecatepec it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin 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 $1,033 in Ecatepec to $1,681 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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