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: $1,531 in Mayaguez versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,223 in Mayaguez versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,914 in Mayaguez versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Mayaguez is roughly 51% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mayaguez is 14% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.78 $12.78

$5.95 COP 20.8K

114.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.0 $59.0

$33.33 COP 116.3K

76.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.78 $8.78

$7.23 COP 25.2K

21.44%

Cappuccino

$3.57 $3.57

$1.63 COP 5,687

119.02%

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

$1.31 $1.31

$1.09 COP 3,821

20.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 $1.23

$0.73 COP 2,548

68.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.74 COP 6,065

77.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 $4.02

$3.23 COP 11.3K

24.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.05 COP 3,662

55.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.29 COP 4,515

79.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.32 COP 4,617

68.94%

Eggs

$2.78 $2.78

$2.27 COP 7,927

22.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.67 $8.67

$4.35 COP 15.2K

99.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 $8.58

$5.88 COP 20.5K

45.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.88 $8.88

$8.61 COP 30.0K

3.14%

Apples (1kg)

$5.21 $5.21

$2.25 COP 7,844

131.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$1.07 COP 3,733

154.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.52 COP 5,322

-14.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$1.42 COP 4,964

188.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.17 COP 4,084

37.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.17 COP 4,077

-4.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$0.89 COP 3,096

153.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.90 COP 3,146

118.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.02 $10.02

$2.25 COP 7,837

345.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.63 $15.63

$11.04 COP 38.5K

41.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.14 COP 3,977

123.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 $3.16

$2.38 COP 8,301

32.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.90 COP 6,634

-22.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.13 $15.13

$7.75 COP 27.0K

95.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.01 COP 3,509

-5.94%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

69.89%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-3.83%

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

$271 $271

$83.7 COP 292.1K

224.09%

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

$79.3 $79.3

$9.45 COP 33.0K

738.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.5 $64.5

$24.11 COP 84.1K

167.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.39 $36.39

$25.31 COP 88.3K

43.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$8.09 $8.09

$4.10 COP 14.3K

97.32%

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

$468 $468

$312 COP 1.1M

50.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K $10.3K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

71.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.20 $45.20

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-22.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 $57.4

$32.56 COP 113.6K

76.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.2 $66.2

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-33.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.0 $69.0

$109 COP 378.8K

-36.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$610 $610

$482 COP 1.7M

26.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 $393

$379 COP 1.3M

3.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,787 $1,787

$837 COP 2.9M

113.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 $633

$723 COP 2.5M

-12.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $610 in Mayaguez and $482 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 $313 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

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 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,297 in Mayaguez 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: $610 in Mayaguez versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $468 in Mayaguez versus $312 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 $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,531 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 51% less than in Mayaguez. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.