Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Acapulco Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Acapulco

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $923 in Acapulco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,524 in Acapulco, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,125 in Acapulco, rent included.

Medellin costs about 82% more than Acapulco, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Acapulco is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$10.04 MX$173

-20.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$41.10 MX$708

16.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$12.81 MX$221

-22.79%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$4.14 MX$71.3

-24.40%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$1.74 MX$29.91

9.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$1.77 MX$30.54

-14.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$3.30 MX$56.8

-5.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$5.11 MX$87.9

12.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.69 MX$29.15

-14.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$3.20 MX$55.1

-22.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$1.72 MX$29.54

2.91%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.93 MX$33.22

53.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$7.11 MX$122

41.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$8.50 MX$146

19.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$11.76 MX$203

21.60%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$5.05 MX$87.0

-18.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.76 MX$30.26

-8.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$3.40 MX$58.6

-33.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$3.42 MX$58.9

-34.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$3.76 MX$64.7

-45.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$3.19 MX$55.0

-51.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$1.38 MX$23.77

-15.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.84 MX$14.54

55.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$8.88 MX$153

-56.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$7.05 MX$121

98.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.14 MX$19.56

52.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$2.88 MX$49.54

-0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$1.01 MX$17.32

20.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$5.12 MX$88.1

-74.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.56 MX$26.89

-12.18%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$23.0K MX$396.5K

20.88%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$25.8K MX$443.4K

38.92%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$43.43 MX$748

308.24%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$15.90 MX$274

-12.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$23.16 MX$399

28.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$20.30 MX$350

121.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$14.86 MX$256

15.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$4.10 MX$70.6

62.20%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$175 MX$3,019

363.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$69.1 MX$1,190

29.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$45.77 MX$788

28.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$118 MX$2,039

16.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$89.2 MX$1,535

14.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$548 MX$9,435

93.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$164 MX$2,817

305.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$1,032 MX$17.8K

83.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$343 MX$5,908

199.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$480 MX$8,271

41.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

11.6

-5.69%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Acapulco: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $548 in Acapulco. 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 41% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $41.00 in Acapulco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $288 – making Acapulco 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

Medellin vs Acapulco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 82% more than Acapulco, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,385 in Acapulco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $923 in Acapulco. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $175 in Acapulco. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Acapulco, where all-in costs run around $923, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Acapulco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Acapulco costs $923 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Acapulco. 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.