Cost of Living Comparison Between Manzanillo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Manzanillo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,192 in Manzanillo versus $1,618 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,515 in Manzanillo versus $2,460 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,837 in Manzanillo versus $3,302 in Medellin.

Living in Manzanillo costs roughly 26% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Manzanillo is 12% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.48 MX$198

$7.69 COP 24.6K

49.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.06 MX$605

$43.28 COP 138.2K

-18.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.44 MX$197

$9.50 COP 30.4K

20.42%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$62.4

$2.81 COP 8,973

28.83%

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

$1.35 MX$23.35

$1.84 COP 5,862

-26.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 MX$21.70

$1.51 COP 4,813

-16.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 MX$45.22

$3.08 COP 9,849

-14.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 MX$97.3

$5.49 COP 17.5K

2.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.48

$1.34 COP 4,293

5.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 MX$46.61

$2.31 COP 7,363

16.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MX$24.95

$1.47 COP 4,692

-1.36%

Eggs

$2.13 MX$36.75

$2.69 COP 8,583

-20.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.15 MX$123

$8.87 COP 28.3K

-19.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.91 MX$102

$10.64 COP 34.0K

-44.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.25 MX$177

$14.47 COP 46.2K

-29.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 MX$45.50

$3.75 COP 12.0K

-29.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.07

$1.39 COP 4,429

12.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 MX$27.66

$2.22 COP 7,096

-27.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 MX$30.31

$1.98 COP 6,324

-11.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 MX$46.21

$2.05 COP 6,562

30.73%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 MX$52.9

$1.60 COP 5,109

91.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 MX$39.08

$1.04 COP 3,327

117.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 MX$25.01

$1.27 COP 4,052

14.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 MX$103

$3.75 COP 12.0K

58.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.06 MX$122

$13.10 COP 41.8K

-46.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 MX$41.26

$1.58 COP 5,035

51.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 MX$47.61

$3.02 COP 9,642

-8.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 MX$13.91

$1.17 COP 3,730

-30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.0 COP 242.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 MX$44.31

$1.50 COP 4,800

71.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 MX$46.23

$2.09 COP 6,662

28.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.72 MX$202

$8.10 COP 25.9K

44.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 MX$26.94

$1.26 COP 4,032

23.81%

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

$22.5K MX$388.0K

$26.9K COP 85.9M

-16.41%

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

$25.0K MX$431.7K

$34.9K COP 111.4M

-28.27%

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

$70.4 MX$1,215

$148 COP 473.7K

-52.53%

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

$22.90 MX$395

$13.03 COP 41.6K

75.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.90 MX$464

$31.48 COP 100.5K

-14.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.6 MX$1,183

$45.50 COP 145.3K

50.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.66 MX$598

$17.02 COP 54.3K

103.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 MX$74.0

$6.32 COP 20.2K

-32.12%

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

$201 MX$3,476

$837 COP 2.7M

-75.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,663 COP 27.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.02 MX$811

$88.8 COP 283.6K

-47.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.58 MX$528

$54.9 COP 175.4K

-44.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 MX$1,442

$134 COP 429.5K

-37.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 MX$2,447

$108 COP 345.9K

30.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$701 MX$12.1K

$939 COP 3.0M

-25.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 MX$6,959

$646 COP 2.1M

-37.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 COP 6.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 COP 3.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,638 COP 11.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,553 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$409 MX$7,060

$628 COP 2.0M

-34.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

10.43

8.34%

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

Last update for Manzanillo: August 3, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $701 in Manzanillo and $939 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 53% 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: $35.00 in Manzanillo vs $43.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 vs $291 per month, with Manzanillo 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

Manzanillo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manzanillo and Medellin differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($1,192 vs $1,618 including rent). Manzanillo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 53% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $701 in Manzanillo versus $939 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,192 per month in Manzanillo versus $1,618 in Medellin – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,192 in Manzanillo versus $1,618 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Manzanillo but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Manzanillo 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.

Expats usually find Manzanillo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.