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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $925 in Acuna, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,551 in Acuna, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,177 in Acuna, rent included.

Medellin costs about 8% more than Acuna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Acuna are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Acuna 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 19.1K

$13.74 MX$238

-56.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 106.5K

$22.24 MX$385

48.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 24.0K

$7.89 MX$137

-5.83%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,343

$2.72 MX$47.08

-39.34%

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

$1.10 COP 3,559

$1.01 MX$17.58

8.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,523

$1.03 MX$17.93

-24.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,553

$2.36 MX$40.81

-27.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.3K

$3.94 MX$68.3

-19.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,565

$1.54 MX$26.65

-28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,066

$1.93 MX$33.42

-34.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,463

$1.70 MX$29.45

-18.82%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 7,038

$2.92 MX$50.5

-25.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.5K

$6.61 MX$114

-32.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.7K

$4.86 MX$84.2

19.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 29.0K

$9.01 MX$156

-0.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,499

$2.41 MX$41.72

-3.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,440

$1.39 MX$24.04

-23.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,899

$1.76 MX$30.45

-13.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,381

$1.90 MX$32.94

-28.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,645

$1.82 MX$31.60

-37.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,785

$1.49 MX$25.78

-21.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,912

$1.02 MX$17.64

-11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,897

$1.31 MX$22.65

-31.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,218

$3.97 MX$68.7

-43.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 39.2K

$9.30 MX$161

30.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,841

$1.54 MX$26.68

-22.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,020

$2.81 MX$48.69

-11.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,758

$0.61 MX$10.53

39.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 134.5K

$23.71 MX$411

75.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,575

$2.70 MX$46.79

-47.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,302

$1.58 MX$27.39

23.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.5K

$8.11 MX$140

-2.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,200

$1.24 MX$21.49

-20.16%

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

$17.6K COP 56.9M

$17.3K MX$300.5K

1.49%

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

$26.8K COP 86.6M

$18.1K MX$313.5K

48.11%

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

$83.0 COP 268.2K

$56.1 MX$971

48.07%

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

$9.70 COP 31.3K

$22.02 MX$382

-55.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 76.0K

$37.59 MX$651

-37.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 81.6K

$28.57 MX$495

-11.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 61.7K

$14.63 MX$253

30.55%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.8K

$4.14 MX$71.7

-4.59%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$159 MX$2,754

98.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.3M

$3,658 MX$63.4K

63.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 193.8K

$46.32 MX$802

29.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 102.8K

$39.90 MX$691

-20.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 328.5K

$86.2 MX$1,493

17.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 347.2K

$84.2 MX$1,459

27.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$290 MX$5,032

63.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$202 MX$3,492

85.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$836 MX$14.5K

1.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$634 MX$11.0K

13.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.5M

$1,714 MX$29.7K

90.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.7M

$1,148 MX$19.9K

25.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Acuna: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $290 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 $22.00 in Acuna. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $221 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 8%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,388 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $925 in Acuna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 76% 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 $925, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.