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: $1,022 in Ensenada versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,603 in Ensenada versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,184 in Ensenada versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Ensenada is roughly 2% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ensenada 23% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.89 MX$188

$5.91 COP 18.6K

84.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.65 MX$548

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-3.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.05 MX$122

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-5.11%

Cappuccino

$2.89 MX$49.95

$1.65 COP 5,207

75.15%

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

$1.10 MX$19.06

$1.10 COP 3,468

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 MX$12.49

$0.78 COP 2,458

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 MX$45.40

$1.72 COP 5,412

52.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 MX$70.3

$3.18 COP 10.0K

27.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 MX$28.28

$1.10 COP 3,474

48.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 MX$43.72

$1.26 COP 3,962

100.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 MX$28.52

$1.38 COP 4,349

19.57%

Eggs

$2.72 MX$47.09

$2.18 COP 6,858

24.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.65 MX$132

$4.49 COP 14.1K

70.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 MX$85.5

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-14.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.66 MX$167

$8.97 COP 28.2K

7.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 MX$33.44

$2.32 COP 7,308

-16.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$24.88

$1.06 COP 3,352

35.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 MX$29.13

$1.52 COP 4,774

10.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.77

$1.36 COP 4,270

9.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 MX$29.18

$1.13 COP 3,552

49.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.13

$1.17 COP 3,689

48.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.30

$0.90 COP 2,838

17.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.29

$0.90 COP 2,823

4.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 MX$69.0

$2.23 COP 7,034

78.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.84 MX$239

$12.12 COP 38.2K

14.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 MX$24.58

$1.19 COP 3,743

19.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 MX$39.94

$2.48 COP 7,815

-6.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MX$13.44

$0.85 COP 2,687

-8.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.42 COP 4,459

46.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 MX$26.73

$1.95 COP 6,141

-21.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.4

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-60.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 MX$21.57

$0.99 COP 3,118

26.26%

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

$21.1K MX$364.9K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

19.83%

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

$20.6K MX$355.8K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-23.26%

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

$56.0 MX$970

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-32.49%

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

$20.42 MX$353

$9.70 COP 30.5K

110.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.69 MX$479

$23.52 COP 74.1K

17.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.4 MX$1,149

$25.26 COP 79.5K

162.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.84 MX$274

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-17.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 MX$73.8

$3.95 COP 12.4K

7.85%

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

$188 MX$3,258

$316 COP 994.2K

-40.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,748 MX$47.5K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-54.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.74 MX$739

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-28.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 MX$607

$31.82 COP 100.2K

10.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 MX$1,520

$102 COP 320.1K

-13.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.8 MX$982

$107 COP 338.3K

-47.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 MX$8,868

$475 COP 1.5M

7.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 MX$6,021

$374 COP 1.2M

-6.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 MX$17.6K

$849 COP 2.7M

19.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$639 MX$11.1K

$719 COP 2.3M

-11.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,429 MX$24.7K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-56.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$708 MX$12.3K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-50.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$697 MX$12.1K

$624 COP 2.0M

11.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

13.43

-15.64%

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

Last update for Ensenada: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $513 in Ensenada and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ensenada pays 12% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ensenada vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $232 vs $193, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 2% in total monthly costs ($1,022 vs $1,003 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 12% 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: $513 in Ensenada versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Ensenada. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,022 per month in Ensenada versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,022 in Ensenada, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Ensenada. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Ensenada. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.