Cost of Living Comparison Between Guadalajara and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Guadalajara and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,326 per month in Guadalajara vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,060 per month in Guadalajara vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,795 per month in Guadalajara vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Guadalajara costs about 29% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Guadalajara and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Guadalajara 1% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.07 €12.31

$6.16 COP 20.1K

128.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.83 €32.22

$32.60 COP 106.1K

12.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.57 €9.25

$7.34 COP 23.9K

44.01%

Cappuccino

$2.09 €1.83

$1.72 COP 5,600

21.51%

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

$2.83 €2.48

$1.05 COP 3,420

169.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 €1.28

$0.77 COP 2,515

90.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.86 €2.50

$1.69 COP 5,488

69.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 €3.58

$3.17 COP 10.3K

29.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €1.00

$1.05 COP 3,423

8.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 €0.82

$1.30 COP 4,236

-28.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 €1.89

$1.40 COP 4,544

54.29%

Eggs

$2.76 €2.41

$2.16 COP 7,047

27.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.43 €10.00

$4.39 COP 14.3K

160.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.17 €8.02

$5.88 COP 19.1K

55.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.31 €15.14

$8.64 COP 28.1K

100.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.39

$2.28 COP 7,426

19.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.94

$1.11 COP 3,604

99.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 €1.71

$1.53 COP 4,983

28.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 €3.60

$1.35 COP 4,410

205.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 €1.65

$1.13 COP 3,674

67.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 €1.77

$1.13 COP 3,692

78.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.85 COP 2,753

74.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 €0.55

$0.91 COP 2,975

-30.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.73

$2.34 COP 7,630

179.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €5.03

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-53.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.07

$1.20 COP 3,909

1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 €2.01

$2.49 COP 8,104

-7.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 €1.05

$0.84 COP 2,728

42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.78 €29.55

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-16.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.68 €4.09

$1.42 COP 4,623

229.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 €0.87

$1.92 COP 6,235

-48.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.68 €20.72

$7.66 COP 24.9K

209.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 €1.49

$0.99 COP 3,223

71.72%

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

$38.9K €34.1K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

116.00%

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

$39.3K €34.4K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

47.45%

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

$114 €99.6

$80.8 COP 263.1K

40.92%

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

$23.17 €20.27

$9.95 COP 32.4K

132.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.12 €27.23

$24.18 COP 78.7K

28.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 €33.20

$25.08 COP 81.7K

51.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.43 €8.25

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-50.76%

Cinema Ticket

$9.28 €8.12

$3.98 COP 13.0K

133.17%

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

$264 €231

$305 COP 993.5K

-13.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,994 €6,119

$6,059 COP 19.7M

15.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.1 €77.0

$58.1 COP 189.2K

51.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.41 €32.73

$32.20 COP 104.8K

16.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 €71.6

$101 COP 327.9K

-18.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.2 €77.2

$108 COP 350.8K

-18.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 €653

$477 COP 1.6M

56.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 €411

$376 COP 1.2M

24.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,026 €898

$845 COP 2.7M

21.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$808 €707

$730 COP 2.4M

10.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,346 €2,928

$3,215 COP 10.5M

4.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,202 €1,926

$1,372 COP 4.5M

60.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,908 €1,669

$617 COP 2.0M

209.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

13.43

-74.83%

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

Last update for Guadalajara: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $746 in Guadalajara 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 209% higher in Guadalajara, 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 $37.00 in Guadalajara versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 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

Guadalajara vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Guadalajara is pricier by about 29%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,989 per month in Guadalajara 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.

Public transport costs about 20% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $264 per month in Guadalajara and $305 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Guadalajara at $1,326. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Guadalajara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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