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: $1,120 in Isla Mujeres versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,752 in Isla Mujeres versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,385 in Isla Mujeres versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Isla Mujeres is roughly 8% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Isla Mujeres 16% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.69 MX$187

$5.92 COP 21.4K

80.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.09 MX$684

$32.75 COP 118.2K

19.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.70 MX$135

$7.20 COP 26.0K

6.94%

Cappuccino

$3.33 MX$58.3

$1.70 COP 6,140

95.88%

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

$1.29 MX$22.52

$1.10 COP 3,966

17.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 MX$16.22

$0.72 COP 2,605

29.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 MX$38.15

$1.67 COP 6,022

30.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 MX$69.6

$3.10 COP 11.2K

28.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$25.32

$1.06 COP 3,809

36.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 MX$44.14

$1.25 COP 4,497

101.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.14

$1.39 COP 5,022

15.83%

Eggs

$2.32 MX$40.52

$2.26 COP 8,168

2.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.18 MX$143

$4.33 COP 15.6K

88.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.66 MX$134

$5.84 COP 21.1K

31.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.75 MX$188

$8.83 COP 31.9K

21.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.69

$2.24 COP 8,099

16.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.24

$1.08 COP 3,882

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.99

$1.53 COP 5,522

15.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.88

$1.37 COP 4,950

24.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 MX$33.87

$1.13 COP 4,078

71.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 MX$33.94

$1.12 COP 4,036

73.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 MX$22.09

$0.85 COP 3,057

48.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 MX$17.21

$0.91 COP 3,281

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.6

$2.33 COP 8,414

80.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 MX$193

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-0.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 MX$27.14

$1.19 COP 4,309

30.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 MX$49.72

$2.37 COP 8,553

19.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 MX$10.67

$0.79 COP 2,838

-22.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 MX$44.45

$1.44 COP 5,184

76.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 MX$28.08

$1.91 COP 6,901

-16.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.44 MX$148

$8.02 COP 28.9K

5.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.12

$0.94 COP 3,385

40.43%

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

$21.0K MX$366.8K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

16.95%

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

$22.7K MX$398.0K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-15.11%

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

$56.6 MX$990

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-32.61%

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

$21.76 MX$381

$9.60 COP 34.7K

126.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.70 MX$485

$24.16 COP 87.2K

14.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.45 MX$638

$25.88 COP 93.4K

40.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.92 MX$279

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-16.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.75 MX$83.2

$3.92 COP 14.1K

21.17%

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

$210 MX$3,678

$306 COP 1.1M

-31.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,644 MX$63.8K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-38.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 MX$918

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-9.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.43 MX$708

$31.82 COP 114.9K

27.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 MX$1,609

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-7.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.8 MX$1,362

$107 COP 386.8K

-27.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 MX$8,905

$487 COP 1.8M

4.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 MX$6,949

$368 COP 1.3M

7.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$954 MX$16.7K

$826 COP 3.0M

15.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 MX$13.3K

$716 COP 2.6M

5.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,788 MX$31.3K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-38.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,158 MX$20.3K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-17.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $509 in Isla Mujeres and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Isla Mujeres vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 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 8% in total monthly costs ($1,120 vs $1,034 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,680 in Isla Mujeres and $1,550 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: $509 in Isla Mujeres versus $487 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 $1,120 per month in Isla Mujeres versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,120 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 8% less than in Isla Mujeres. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.