Cost of Living Comparison Between Isla Mujeres and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Isla Mujeres and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,108 in Isla Mujeres versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,775 in Isla Mujeres versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,441 in Isla Mujeres versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Isla Mujeres is roughly 9% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Isla Mujeres 18% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.67 MX$183

$5.95 COP 20.8K

79.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.02 MX$653

$33.33 COP 116.3K

14.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 MX$136

$7.23 COP 25.2K

9.96%

Cappuccino

$3.21 MX$55.2

$1.63 COP 5,687

96.93%

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

$1.25 MX$21.44

$1.09 COP 3,821

14.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 MX$16.77

$0.73 COP 2,548

34.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 MX$38.80

$1.74 COP 6,065

29.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 MX$66.4

$3.23 COP 11.3K

19.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.46

$1.05 COP 3,662

36.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 MX$44.98

$1.29 COP 4,515

103.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 MX$26.49

$1.32 COP 4,617

16.67%

Eggs

$2.37 MX$40.74

$2.27 COP 7,927

4.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.09 MX$139

$4.35 COP 15.2K

85.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.08 MX$139

$5.88 COP 20.5K

37.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.40 MX$179

$8.61 COP 30.0K

20.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 MX$45.61

$2.25 COP 7,844

18.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MX$24.88

$1.07 COP 3,733

35.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 MX$30.91

$1.52 COP 5,322

18.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 MX$28.43

$1.42 COP 4,964

16.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.98

$1.17 COP 4,084

64.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 MX$33.20

$1.17 COP 4,077

64.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MX$20.56

$0.89 COP 3,096

34.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 MX$16.97

$0.90 COP 3,146

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 MX$70.7

$2.25 COP 7,837

83.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 MX$184

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-2.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 MX$27.35

$1.14 COP 3,977

39.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 MX$48.86

$2.38 COP 8,301

19.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 MX$11.19

$0.84 COP 2,916

-22.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 MX$45.62

$1.41 COP 4,912

88.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 MX$26.57

$1.90 COP 6,634

-18.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 MX$141

$7.75 COP 27.0K

5.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.44

$1.01 COP 3,509

29.70%

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

$21.2K MX$363.1K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

20.32%

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

$22.1K MX$379.8K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-16.49%

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

$56.5 MX$970

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-32.43%

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

$22.31 MX$383

$9.45 COP 33.0K

136.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.51 MX$489

$24.11 COP 84.1K

18.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.03 MX$636

$25.31 COP 88.3K

46.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.04 MX$275

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-16.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 MX$80.7

$4.10 COP 14.3K

14.63%

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

$203 MX$3,483

$312 COP 1.1M

-34.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,599 MX$61.8K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-39.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 MX$922

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-7.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.21 MX$673

$32.56 COP 113.6K

20.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 MX$1,543

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-9.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.5 MX$1,364

$109 COP 378.8K

-26.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 MX$8,673

$482 COP 1.7M

4.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 MX$6,884

$379 COP 1.3M

5.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$923 MX$15.8K

$837 COP 2.9M

10.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 MX$13.3K

$723 COP 2.5M

7.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,748 MX$30.0K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-38.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,165 MX$20.0K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-4.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

13.43

-14.52%

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

Last update for Isla Mujeres: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $505 in Isla Mujeres and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Isla Mujeres vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $190 per month, with Medellin 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

Isla Mujeres vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Isla Mujeres and Medellin differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($1,108 vs $1,017 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,662 in Isla Mujeres and $1,525 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $505 in Isla Mujeres versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Isla Mujeres. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,108 per month in Isla Mujeres versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,108 in Isla Mujeres, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Isla Mujeres. 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, Isla Mujeres 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 9% less than in Isla Mujeres. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.