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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $920 in Acuna, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,585 in Acuna, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $2,249 in Acuna, rent included.

Medellin costs about 12% more than Acuna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Acuna are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Acuna 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$14.10 MX$245

-57.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$22.74 MX$395

44.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$8.15 MX$142

-8.96%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$2.72 MX$47.14

-39.34%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$1.02 MX$17.77

4.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$1.03 MX$17.81

-26.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$2.42 MX$42.03

-28.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$4.02 MX$69.7

-20.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$1.60 MX$27.69

-34.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$1.93 MX$33.46

-32.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$1.69 MX$29.35

-20.71%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$2.88 MX$49.92

-23.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$6.96 MX$121

-36.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$4.80 MX$83.3

18.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$8.74 MX$152

-2.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$2.36 MX$40.97

-0.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$1.42 MX$24.62

-21.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$1.71 MX$29.75

-11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$1.91 MX$33.18

-28.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$1.82 MX$31.58

-36.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$1.42 MX$24.63

-16.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$1.03 MX$17.83

-18.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$1.31 MX$22.77

-34.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$4.10 MX$71.1

-44.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$11.26 MX$195

3.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$1.59 MX$27.65

-24.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$2.77 MX$48.02

-10.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

$0.65 MX$11.37

21.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

$23.48 MX$408

73.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$2.62 MX$45.43

-43.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$1.59 MX$27.66

20.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$8.38 MX$145

-7.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$1.19 MX$20.69

-15.13%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$17.5K MX$304.1K

0.77%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$18.0K MX$312.7K

46.82%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$55.9 MX$970

45.16%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$22.09 MX$383

-57.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$36.46 MX$633

-34.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

$28.19 MX$489

-7.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

$14.33 MX$249

30.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$4.20 MX$72.9

-2.62%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$161 MX$2,788

95.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$3,591 MX$62.3K

67.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$46.49 MX$807

28.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$39.22 MX$681

-18.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$88.0 MX$1,527

15.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$81.8 MX$1,420

28.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$287 MX$4,984

69.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$195 MX$3,379

87.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$844 MX$14.7K

-2.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$638 MX$11.1K

14.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$2,254 MX$39.1K

32.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$1,108 MX$19.2K

18.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Acuna: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $287 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 $226 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 12%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,380 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 $1,028 in Medellin and $920 in Acuna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 74% 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 $920, than in Medellin at $1,028. 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.