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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,182 in Ajijic, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,914 in Ajijic, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,645 in Ajijic, rent included.

Medellin is about 13% cheaper than Ajijic, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Ajijic are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Ajijic 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$8.02 MX$140

-26.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$34.13 MX$597

-4.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.78 MX$119

6.19%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.27 MX$57.3

-48.01%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.07 MX$18.80

2.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.79 MX$13.89

-8.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.89 MX$33.10

-11.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.08 MX$54.0

0.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.34 MX$23.53

-20.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.17 MX$37.94

-42.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.07 MX$18.73

29.91%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.96 MX$34.36

15.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.11 MX$142

-46.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$7.18 MX$126

-18.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$6.80 MX$119

29.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.18 MX$38.18

2.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.90 MX$15.70

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.91 MX$15.89

68.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.42 MX$24.85

-3.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.42 MX$24.85

-20.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.98 MX$17.09

14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.96 MX$16.71

-11.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.86 MX$15.12

5.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.13 MX$72.3

-43.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$9.08 MX$159

22.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.35 MX$23.59

-11.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.62 MX$28.29

46.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.61 MX$10.61

29.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.08 MX$18.87

33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.54 MX$26.88

24.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$3.22 MX$56.4

149.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.25 MX$21.96

-24.80%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$18.3K MX$320.0K

-2.00%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$18.6K MX$325.8K

43.91%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$43.48 MX$761

93.10%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$16.56 MX$290

-42.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$25.76 MX$451

-6.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$23.67 MX$414

9.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$5.38 MX$94.2

253.90%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.12 MX$72.1

-4.85%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$178 MX$3,111

72.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$2,586 MX$45.3K

128.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$42.76 MX$748

35.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$16.04 MX$281

98.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$66.5 MX$1,164

50.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$55.4 MX$970

93.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$793 MX$13.9K

-38.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$634 MX$11.1K

-41.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,592 MX$27.9K

-48.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,377 MX$24.1K

-48.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$3,274 MX$57.3K

-10.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,735 MX$30.4K

-18.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$583 MX$10.2K

-6.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.24

19.48%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ajijic: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $793 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 7% higher in Ajijic, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $34.00 in Ajijic. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $203 – making Medellin 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 – Ajijic is pricier by about 14%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,773 in Ajijic. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $1,182 in Ajijic. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $178 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Ajijic at $1,182. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ajijic it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ajijic makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.