Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ajijic Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ajijic

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,356 in Ajijic, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,120 in Ajijic, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,884 in Ajijic, rent included.

Medellin costs about 24% more than Ajijic, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Ajijic is 1% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$10.12 MX$175

-20.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$46.72 MX$805

2.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$7.59 MX$131

30.30%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.86 MX$66.5

-18.91%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.79 MX$30.83

6.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.32 MX$22.70

14.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.27 MX$39.09

37.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.41 MX$58.8

68.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.57 MX$27.11

-8.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.38 MX$41.12

4.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.15 MX$19.91

53.91%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.45 MX$42.29

20.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$8.54 MX$147

17.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$9.14 MX$158

10.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$7.72 MX$133

85.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.45 MX$42.16

68.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.37 MX$23.59

17.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.57 MX$27.05

43.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.89 MX$32.54

19.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.65 MX$28.50

23.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.50 MX$25.80

2.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.05 MX$18.19

11.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.94 MX$16.16

39.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.69 MX$80.8

-16.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$9.59 MX$165

46.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.64 MX$28.32

6.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.47 MX$25.34

95.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.67 MX$11.64

82.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.35 MX$23.23

-2.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$4.75 MX$82.0

-53.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$11.86 MX$204

-26.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.52 MX$26.23

-9.87%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$22.4K MX$387.0K

24.00%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$25.6K MX$440.6K

40.01%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$57.6 MX$993

207.92%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$15.28 MX$263

-9.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$26.10 MX$450

13.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$26.56 MX$458

68.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$5.78 MX$99.7

196.19%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$5.21 MX$89.9

27.64%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$226 MX$3,895

259.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$3,110 MX$53.6K

195.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$46.32 MX$799

93.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$17.75 MX$306

232.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$72.1 MX$1,242

91.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$75.1 MX$1,295

36.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$908 MX$15.7K

16.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$684 MX$11.8K

-3.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,562 MX$26.9K

20.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,282 MX$22.1K

-19.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$3,285 MX$56.6K

27.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,756 MX$30.3K

-4.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$593 MX$10.2K

14.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

11.2

-2.32%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ajijic: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $908 in Ajijic. 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 14% 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 $47.00 in Ajijic. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $238 – making Ajijic 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 Ajijic: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 24%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $2,034 in Ajijic. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ajijic, 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 $1,356 in Ajijic. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $226 in Ajijic. 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 Ajijic, where all-in costs run around $1,356, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Ajijic it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ajijic – 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 Ajijic. 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.