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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,621 per month in Mazatlan vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Mazatlan vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,811 per month in Mazatlan vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Mazatlan costs about 59% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mazatlan sits 21% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.54 MX$181

$5.95 COP 20.8K

77.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.84 MX$787

$33.33 COP 116.3K

37.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.44 MX$145

$7.23 COP 25.2K

16.74%

Cappuccino

$3.36 MX$57.7

$1.63 COP 5,687

106.13%

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

$1.39 MX$23.83

$1.09 COP 3,821

27.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$17.89

$0.73 COP 2,548

42.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 MX$34.96

$1.74 COP 6,065

17.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 MX$44.43

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-19.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 MX$25.46

$1.05 COP 3,662

40.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 MX$43.30

$1.29 COP 4,515

95.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.94

$1.32 COP 4,617

62.88%

Eggs

$2.28 MX$39.13

$2.27 COP 7,927

0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.84 MX$135

$4.35 COP 15.2K

80.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.56 MX$113

$5.88 COP 20.5K

11.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 MX$129

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-12.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$44.64

$2.25 COP 7,844

15.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.98

$1.07 COP 3,733

46.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.49

$1.52 COP 5,322

17.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 MX$13.41

$1.42 COP 4,964

-45.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$36.99

$1.17 COP 4,084

84.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 MX$44.43

$1.17 COP 4,077

121.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 MX$21.56

$0.89 COP 3,096

41.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.55

$0.90 COP 3,146

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 MX$68.5

$2.25 COP 7,837

77.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.36 MX$281

$11.04 COP 38.5K

48.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 MX$34.51

$1.14 COP 3,977

76.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 MX$50.7

$2.38 COP 8,301

23.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MX$11.29

$0.84 COP 2,916

-21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.00 MX$669

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-7.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.39 MX$58.2

$1.41 COP 4,912

140.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 MX$31.38

$1.90 COP 6,634

-3.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.19 MX$141

$7.75 COP 27.0K

5.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.82

$1.01 COP 3,509

25.74%

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

$21.0K MX$360.6K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

19.49%

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

$22.3K MX$383.5K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-15.67%

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

$54.9 MX$942

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-34.38%

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

$20.85 MX$358

$9.45 COP 33.0K

120.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.00 MX$704

$24.11 COP 84.1K

70.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.14 MX$723

$25.31 COP 88.3K

66.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.64 MX$268

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-18.29%

Cinema Ticket

$3.87 MX$66.5

$4.10 COP 14.3K

-5.61%

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

$85.4 MX$1,466

$312 COP 1.1M

-72.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,908 MX$32.7K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-68.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 MX$1,073

$58.0 COP 202.6K

7.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.08 MX$448

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-19.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,784

$99.6 COP 347.7K

4.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 MX$1,347

$109 COP 378.8K

-27.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$897 MX$15.4K

$482 COP 1.7M

86.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$864 MX$14.8K

$379 COP 1.3M

127.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,386 MX$23.8K

$837 COP 2.9M

65.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,101 MX$18.9K

$723 COP 2.5M

52.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,655 MX$28.4K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-41.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,105 MX$19.0K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-9.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 MX$9,406

$541 COP 1.9M

1.32%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $897 in Mazatlan versus $482 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 1% higher in Mazatlan, 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 $46.00 in Mazatlan versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $248 vs $190 – 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: $1,621 in Mazatlan, $1,017 in Medellin – roughly 59% apart. Mazatlan costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,432 per month in Mazatlan and $1,525 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 8% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $85.4 per month in Mazatlan and $312 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 $1,017, than in Mazatlan at $1,621. 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 $1,017 in Medellin to $1,621 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.