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: $1,113 in Isla Mujeres versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,760 in Isla Mujeres versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,407 in Isla Mujeres versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Isla Mujeres is roughly 11% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Isla Mujeres 16% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.69 MX$185

$5.91 COP 18.6K

80.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.03 MX$675

$32.96 COP 103.8K

18.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.73 MX$134

$7.43 COP 23.4K

4.04%

Cappuccino

$3.34 MX$57.8

$1.65 COP 5,207

102.42%

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

$1.24 MX$21.50

$1.10 COP 3,468

12.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.85

$0.78 COP 2,458

17.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 MX$38.61

$1.72 COP 5,412

29.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 MX$66.9

$3.18 COP 10.0K

21.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 MX$25.50

$1.10 COP 3,474

33.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 MX$45.21

$1.26 COP 3,962

107.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.24

$1.38 COP 4,349

13.77%

Eggs

$2.32 MX$40.09

$2.18 COP 6,858

6.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 MX$136

$4.49 COP 14.1K

74.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 MX$137

$5.79 COP 18.2K

36.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.47 MX$181

$8.97 COP 28.2K

16.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 MX$45.36

$2.32 COP 7,308

12.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.06 COP 3,352

30.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 MX$29.91

$1.52 COP 4,774

13.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 MX$28.72

$1.36 COP 4,270

22.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.77

$1.13 COP 3,552

67.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 MX$33.79

$1.17 COP 3,689

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 MX$21.76

$0.90 COP 2,838

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 MX$17.60

$0.90 COP 2,823

13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 MX$70.4

$2.23 COP 7,034

82.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 MX$188

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-10.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 MX$27.55

$1.19 COP 3,743

33.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 MX$47.18

$2.48 COP 7,815

10.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 MX$10.52

$0.85 COP 2,687

-28.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 MX$45.55

$1.42 COP 4,459

85.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 MX$26.81

$1.95 COP 6,141

-20.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.22 MX$142

$7.89 COP 24.8K

4.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.98

$0.99 COP 3,118

28.28%

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

$21.3K MX$369.3K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

21.28%

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

$22.7K MX$392.2K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-15.41%

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

$57.1 MX$987

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-31.27%

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

$21.85 MX$378

$9.70 COP 30.5K

125.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.59 MX$495

$23.52 COP 74.1K

21.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.73 MX$635

$25.26 COP 79.5K

45.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.70 MX$272

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-17.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.76 MX$82.3

$3.95 COP 12.4K

20.51%

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

$206 MX$3,572

$316 COP 994.2K

-34.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,560 MX$61.6K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-40.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 MX$928

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-10.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$31.82 COP 100.2K

25.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 MX$1,570

$102 COP 320.1K

-10.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.8 MX$1,381

$107 COP 338.3K

-25.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$510 MX$8,824

$475 COP 1.5M

7.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 MX$6,921

$374 COP 1.2M

6.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 MX$16.5K

$849 COP 2.7M

12.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$759 MX$13.1K

$719 COP 2.3M

5.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,734 MX$30.0K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-46.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,152 MX$19.9K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-20.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $510 in Isla Mujeres and $475 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 $193 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 11% in total monthly costs ($1,113 vs $1,003 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,669 in Isla Mujeres and $1,504 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: $510 in Isla Mujeres versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Isla Mujeres. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,113 per month in Isla Mujeres versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,113 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 11% less than in Isla Mujeres. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.