Cost of Living Comparison Between Ensenada and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ensenada and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,139 in Ensenada versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,838 in Ensenada versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,538 in Ensenada versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Ensenada costs roughly 32% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ensenada is 17% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.41 MX$213

$8.02 COP 25.3K

54.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.26 MX$622

$47.87 COP 151.0K

-24.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.91 MX$136

$9.89 COP 31.2K

-20.02%

Cappuccino

$3.28 MX$56.4

$3.13 COP 9,873

4.79%

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

$1.15 MX$19.82

$1.91 COP 6,019

-39.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 MX$12.63

$1.51 COP 4,763

-50.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 MX$50.5

$3.12 COP 9,853

-5.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 MX$67.4

$5.75 COP 18.1K

-31.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 MX$33.07

$1.44 COP 4,558

34.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 MX$49.46

$2.49 COP 7,843

15.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 MX$30.16

$1.77 COP 5,595

-0.56%

Eggs

$2.79 MX$47.96

$2.96 COP 9,336

-5.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 MX$150

$10.07 COP 31.8K

-12.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.09 MX$122

$10.12 COP 31.9K

-29.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.18 MX$192

$14.30 COP 45.1K

-21.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 MX$39.57

$4.14 COP 13.0K

-44.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MX$28.75

$1.61 COP 5,073

4.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.04

$2.25 COP 7,083

-16.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 MX$28.29

$2.25 COP 7,104

-26.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 MX$23.47

$2.04 COP 6,444

-32.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.54 COP 4,842

23.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 MX$26.75

$1.17 COP 3,691

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.45

$1.31 COP 4,121

-18.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.49 MX$77.1

$3.90 COP 12.3K

15.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.52 MX$249

$14.01 COP 44.2K

3.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 MX$32.72

$1.74 COP 5,498

9.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 MX$49.18

$2.87 COP 9,053

-0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 MX$14.64

$1.22 COP 3,834

-30.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.11 MX$654

$80.5 COP 253.9K

-52.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 MX$53.6

$1.31 COP 4,129

138.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 MX$35.45

$2.19 COP 6,899

-5.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.68 MX$355

$8.71 COP 27.5K

137.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 MX$24.16

$1.37 COP 4,306

2.92%

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

$21.6K MX$370.7K

$27.8K COP 87.8M

-22.41%

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

$25.9K MX$444.9K

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-27.54%

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

$50.1 MX$860

$177 COP 559.3K

-71.75%

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

$34.00 MX$584

$13.88 COP 43.8K

144.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.14 MX$483

$29.72 COP 93.8K

-5.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.38 MX$556

$44.88 COP 141.6K

-27.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.58 MX$199

$17.12 COP 54.0K

-32.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.80 MX$82.3

$6.65 COP 21.0K

-27.82%

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

$204 MX$3,509

$813 COP 2.6M

-74.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,195 MX$89.2K

$9,187 COP 29.0M

-43.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 MX$982

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-36.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.47 MX$781

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-22.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 MX$1,869

$138 COP 435.9K

-21.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.1 MX$1,048

$102 COP 322.1K

-40.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$549 MX$9,424

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-48.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 MX$5,914

$663 COP 2.1M

-48.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,045 MX$17.9K

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-44.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 MX$11.7K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-33.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,427 MX$24.5K

$4,183 COP 13.2M

-65.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$741 MX$12.7K

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-55.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$693 MX$11.9K

$678 COP 2.1M

2.19%

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 Ensenada: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $549 in Ensenada and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ensenada pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ensenada vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $270 vs $305 per month, with Ensenada 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

Ensenada vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ensenada and Medellin differ by about 48% in total monthly costs ($1,139 vs $1,681 including rent). Ensenada is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Ensenada, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $549 in Ensenada versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,139 per month in Ensenada versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ensenada runs roughly 111% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,139 in Ensenada versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ensenada but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ensenada 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, Ensenada 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 Ensenada gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.