Cost of Living Comparison Between Mazatlan and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Mazatlan and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,631 per month in Mazatlan vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,235 per month in Mazatlan vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,838 per month in Mazatlan vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Mazatlan costs about 63% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mazatlan sits 23% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.44 MX$182

$5.91 COP 18.9K

76.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.32 MX$773

$32.96 COP 105.2K

34.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 MX$146

$7.43 COP 23.7K

12.92%

Cappuccino

$3.41 MX$59.5

$1.65 COP 5,276

106.67%

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

$1.38 MX$24.13

$1.10 COP 3,514

25.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.29

$0.78 COP 2,491

34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 MX$33.54

$1.72 COP 5,484

11.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 MX$45.29

$3.18 COP 10.1K

-18.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 MX$25.73

$1.10 COP 3,521

34.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 MX$45.76

$1.26 COP 4,015

107.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 MX$36.81

$1.38 COP 4,407

52.90%

Eggs

$2.31 MX$40.27

$2.18 COP 6,950

5.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 MX$135

$4.49 COP 14.3K

72.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 MX$116

$5.79 COP 18.5K

14.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.36 MX$128

$8.97 COP 28.6K

-17.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 MX$44.76

$2.32 COP 7,405

10.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.15

$1.06 COP 3,397

51.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.95

$1.52 COP 4,838

13.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 MX$13.68

$1.36 COP 4,327

-42.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 MX$38.44

$1.13 COP 3,599

94.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 MX$44.53

$1.17 COP 3,738

117.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MX$21.15

$0.90 COP 2,876

34.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.91

$0.90 COP 2,861

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 MX$69.6

$2.23 COP 7,128

78.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.19 MX$282

$12.12 COP 38.7K

33.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 MX$35.53

$1.19 COP 3,793

71.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 MX$53.8

$2.48 COP 7,920

24.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 MX$11.69

$0.85 COP 2,723

-21.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.26 MX$702

$41.62 COP 132.8K

-3.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 MX$61.0

$1.42 COP 4,518

146.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 MX$31.84

$1.95 COP 6,223

-6.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 MX$146

$7.89 COP 25.2K

6.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.73

$0.99 COP 3,160

31.31%

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

$21.4K MX$373.3K

$17.6K COP 56.2M

21.61%

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

$22.6K MX$395.0K

$26.8K COP 85.5M

-15.48%

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

$56.5 MX$985

$83.0 COP 264.9K

-31.94%

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

$20.70 MX$361

$9.70 COP 30.9K

113.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.52 MX$707

$23.52 COP 75.0K

72.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.14 MX$752

$25.26 COP 80.6K

70.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.62 MX$272

$19.10 COP 60.9K

-18.22%

Cinema Ticket

$3.91 MX$68.2

$3.95 COP 12.6K

-1.01%

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

$83.5 MX$1,457

$316 COP 1.0M

-73.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,911 MX$33.3K

$5,975 COP 19.1M

-68.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 MX$1,091

$60.0 COP 191.4K

4.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.46 MX$462

$31.82 COP 101.5K

-16.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,834

$102 COP 324.4K

3.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 MX$1,360

$107 COP 342.8K

-27.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$869 MX$15.2K

$475 COP 1.5M

82.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$891 MX$15.5K

$374 COP 1.2M

138.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,395 MX$24.3K

$849 COP 2.7M

64.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 MX$18.8K

$719 COP 2.3M

49.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,662 MX$29.0K

$3,265 COP 10.4M

-49.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,067 MX$18.6K

$1,441 COP 4.6M

-25.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$566 MX$9,863

$624 COP 2.0M

-9.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

13.43

-15.64%

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

Last update for Mazatlan: July 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $869 in Mazatlan versus $475 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 10% higher in Medellin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Mazatlan versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $193 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Mazatlan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,631 in Mazatlan, $1,003 in Medellin – roughly 63% apart. Mazatlan costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,447 per month in Mazatlan and $1,504 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $83.5 per month in Mazatlan and $316 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Mazatlan at $1,631. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mazatlan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mazatlan has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,003 in Medellin to $1,631 in Mazatlan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mazatlan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.