Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Acuna Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Acuna

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $936 in Acuna, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,576 in Acuna, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,216 in Acuna, rent included.

Medellin costs about 10% more than Acuna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Acuna are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Acuna 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$13.80 MX$241

-57.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$22.64 MX$396

44.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.96 MX$139

-9.55%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.86 MX$50.0

-40.56%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.06 MX$18.61

3.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.98 MX$17.16

-26.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.41 MX$42.24

-30.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.95 MX$69.2

-21.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.53 MX$26.76

-30.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.03 MX$35.53

-38.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.68 MX$29.47

-17.26%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.91 MX$50.9

-22.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$6.99 MX$122

-38.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.02 MX$87.8

16.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$8.57 MX$150

3.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.39 MX$41.90

-6.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.45 MX$25.45

-25.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.78 MX$31.17

-14.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.95 MX$34.14

-29.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.74 MX$30.52

-35.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.44 MX$25.16

-22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.05 MX$18.41

-19.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.25 MX$21.92

-27.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.08 MX$71.4

-42.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$10.16 MX$178

9.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.55 MX$27.19

-23.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.76 MX$48.31

-14.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.66 MX$11.47

19.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$23.48 MX$411

75.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$2.69 MX$47.12

-46.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.59 MX$27.83

20.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$8.49 MX$149

-5.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.24 MX$21.61

-24.19%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$17.8K MX$311.9K

0.57%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$18.2K MX$318.1K

47.39%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$57.5 MX$1,006

46.02%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$22.55 MX$395

-57.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$37.11 MX$649

-34.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$28.25 MX$494

-8.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$14.64 MX$256

30.05%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.17 MX$73.0

-6.00%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$157 MX$2,754

94.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$3,662 MX$64.1K

61.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$46.13 MX$807

25.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$40.03 MX$701

-20.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$86.0 MX$1,504

16.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$82.0 MX$1,435

30.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$296 MX$5,174

64.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$200 MX$3,498

84.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$822 MX$14.4K

0.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$624 MX$10.9K

14.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,732 MX$30.3K

68.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,367 MX$23.9K

2.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.48

16.99%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Acuna: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $296 in Acuna. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Acuna. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $224 in Acuna – so Medellin 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

Medellin vs Acuna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,405 in Acuna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Acuna, 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $936 in Acuna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 75% less in Acuna. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Acuna, where all-in costs run around $936, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Acuna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Acuna – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Acuna. 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.