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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,513 per month in Mazatlan vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,174 per month in Mazatlan vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,835 per month in Mazatlan vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Mazatlan is about 8% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Mazatlan and Medellin sit above the global median – Mazatlan by 10%, Medellin by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.62 MX$197

$8.04 COP 24.8K

44.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.79 MX$845

$48.29 COP 148.6K

3.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.23 MX$157

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-2.02%

Cappuccino

$3.85 MX$65.3

$2.94 COP 9,040

30.95%

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

$1.55 MX$26.24

$1.86 COP 5,735

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.69

$1.46 COP 4,479

-20.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 MX$38.08

$3.21 COP 9,882

-30.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 MX$51.2

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-47.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$28.96

$1.44 COP 4,428

18.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 MX$48.36

$2.40 COP 7,389

18.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MX$24.86

$1.70 COP 5,228

-13.53%

Eggs

$2.92 MX$49.52

$2.89 COP 8,896

1.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.85 MX$150

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-12.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.18 MX$122

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-27.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.42 MX$143

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-40.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.2

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-24.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 MX$30.86

$1.58 COP 4,878

15.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.20

$2.15 COP 6,624

-20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 MX$9.42

$2.30 COP 7,078

-75.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.44

$2.00 COP 6,169

-10.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 MX$24.56

$1.51 COP 4,646

-3.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 MX$28.92

$1.20 COP 3,701

41.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 MX$74.3

$3.84 COP 11.8K

14.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.70 MX$283

$14.01 COP 43.1K

19.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 MX$37.15

$1.71 COP 5,256

28.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 MX$59.2

$2.74 COP 8,440

27.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 MX$13.55

$1.25 COP 3,834

-36.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.90 MX$762

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-42.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 MX$63.7

$1.31 COP 4,016

187.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.61 MX$44.36

$2.17 COP 6,680

20.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.12

$1.36 COP 4,172

13.24%

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

$23.1K MX$391.6K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-15.97%

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

$26.2K MX$444.6K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-28.27%

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

$62.0 MX$1,051

$169 COP 519.2K

-63.28%

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

$50.3 MX$854

$13.57 COP 41.8K

270.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.82 MX$777

$28.32 COP 87.2K

61.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.57 MX$807

$45.71 COP 140.7K

4.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MX$81.5

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-27.67%

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

$95.2 MX$1,615

$803 COP 2.5M

-88.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,151 MX$36.5K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-76.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.1 MX$1,190

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-19.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.25 MX$496

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-50.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 MX$2,080

$139 COP 427.5K

-11.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 MX$1,495

$102 COP 314.0K

-13.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 MX$14.3K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-21.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 MX$11.2K

$653 COP 2.0M

1.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 MX$21.8K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-33.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$850 MX$14.4K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-18.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,724 MX$29.3K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-58.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,127 MX$19.1K

$1,697 COP 5.2M

-33.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$571 MX$9,682

$655 COP 2.0M

-12.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

10.94

6.03%

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

Last update for Mazatlan: September 5, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $845 in Mazatlan versus $1,071 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 15% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Mazatlan versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $253 in Mazatlan vs $300 in Medellin – so Mazatlan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $1,513 in Mazatlan, $1,641 in Medellin – roughly 8% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,269 per month in Mazatlan and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 73% less in Mazatlan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $95.2 per month in Mazatlan and $803 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mazatlan, where all-in costs run around $1,513, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Mazatlan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin 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 $1,513 in Mazatlan to $1,641 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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