Cost of Living Comparison Between Mayaguez and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Mayaguez and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,487 in Mayaguez versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,221 in Mayaguez versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,955 in Mayaguez versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Mayaguez is roughly 48% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mayaguez is 12% above, Medellin is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.06 $13.06

$5.91 COP 18.6K

120.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 $58.9

$32.96 COP 103.8K

78.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.07 $9.07

$7.43 COP 23.4K

22.07%

Cappuccino

$3.66 $3.66

$1.65 COP 5,207

121.82%

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

$1.34 $1.34

$1.10 COP 3,468

21.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 $1.23

$0.78 COP 2,458

57.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.72 COP 5,412

77.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 $4.03

$3.18 COP 10.0K

26.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.10 COP 3,474

48.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.26 COP 3,962

79.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.38 COP 4,349

63.77%

Eggs

$2.81 $2.81

$2.18 COP 6,858

28.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.65 $8.65

$4.49 COP 14.1K

92.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.59 $8.59

$5.79 COP 18.2K

48.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.00 $9.00

$8.97 COP 28.2K

0.33%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$2.32 COP 7,308

125.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.06 COP 3,352

148.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.52 COP 4,774

-19.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$1.36 COP 4,270

192.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.13 COP 3,552

43.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.17 COP 3,689

-3.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 $2.28

$0.90 COP 2,838

153.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.90 COP 2,823

121.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.99 $9.99

$2.23 COP 7,034

347.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.63 $15.63

$12.12 COP 38.2K

28.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.19 COP 3,743

113.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.48 COP 7,815

30.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.95 COP 6,141

-24.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.22 $15.22

$7.89 COP 24.8K

92.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$0.99 COP 3,118

2.02%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

70.08%

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

$24.6K $24.6K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-8.09%

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

$276 $276

$83.0 COP 261.4K

232.69%

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

$79.0 $79.0

$9.70 COP 30.5K

714.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.5 $65.5

$23.52 COP 74.1K

178.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.77 $35.77

$25.26 COP 79.5K

41.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$7.92 $7.92

$3.95 COP 12.4K

100.51%

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

$475 $475

$316 COP 994.2K

50.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K $10.4K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

74.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.07 $46.07

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-23.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.9 $56.9

$31.82 COP 100.2K

78.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.0 $64.0

$102 COP 320.1K

-37.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.9 $70.9

$107 COP 338.3K

-34.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 $590

$475 COP 1.5M

24.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 $400

$374 COP 1.2M

6.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,773 $1,773

$849 COP 2.7M

108.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 $627

$719 COP 2.3M

-12.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

13.43

-75.80%

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

Last update for Mayaguez: July 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $590 in Mayaguez and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $59.0 in Mayaguez vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $312 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

Mayaguez vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,230 in Mayaguez 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: $590 in Mayaguez versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $475 in Mayaguez versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $59.0 in Mayaguez. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,487 in Mayaguez, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Mayaguez. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mayaguez, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Mayaguez. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.