Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Atotonilco el Alto Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Atotonilco el Alto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,154 in Atotonilco el Alto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,860 in Atotonilco el Alto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $2,565 in Atotonilco el Alto.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 10% less than in Atotonilco el Alto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Atotonilco el Alto 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$9.66 MX$169

-38.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$47.10 MX$824

-30.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.87 MX$138

-8.51%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.53 MX$61.8

-51.84%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.30 MX$22.73

-15.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.95 MX$16.65

-24.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.41 MX$42.18

-30.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.28 MX$74.8

-27.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.54 MX$26.89

-31.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.65 MX$46.41

-52.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.96 MX$34.37

-29.08%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.31 MX$40.37

-2.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.04 MX$141

-46.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$9.84 MX$172

-40.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$12.88 MX$225

-31.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.55 MX$62.1

-36.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.53 MX$26.85

-29.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.85 MX$32.30

-17.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.71 MX$29.86

-19.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.72 MX$30.14

-34.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.84 MX$32.14

-39.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.30 MX$22.75

-34.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.16 MX$20.33

-21.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.30 MX$75.2

-45.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$17.31 MX$303

-35.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.94 MX$33.87

-38.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.29 MX$57.7

-27.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.65 MX$11.38

21.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$3.14 MX$55.0

-54.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.20 MX$20.98

59.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$9.16 MX$160

-12.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.25 MX$21.81

-24.80%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$19.8K MX$346.3K

-9.42%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.2K MX$354.3K

32.31%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$62.5 MX$1,093

34.40%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$24.07 MX$421

-60.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$28.13 MX$492

-14.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$35.80 MX$627

-27.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$16.08 MX$281

18.41%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.07 MX$106

-35.42%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$316 MX$5,535

-3.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,910 MX$85.9K

20.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$51.5 MX$901

12.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$42.29 MX$740

-24.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$98.2 MX$1,719

1.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$95.6 MX$1,673

12.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$515 MX$9,006

-5.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$397 MX$6,941

-7.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$914 MX$16.0K

-9.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$756 MX$13.2K

-5.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,865 MX$32.6K

56.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,350 MX$23.6K

4.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.55

16.28%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Atotonilco el Alto: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $515 in Atotonilco el Alto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $47.00 in Atotonilco el Alto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $293 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Atotonilco el Alto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $1,731 in Atotonilco el Alto to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $515 in Atotonilco el Alto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $316 in Atotonilco el Alto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $47.00 in Atotonilco el Alto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,154 in Atotonilco el Alto, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Atotonilco el Alto. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Atotonilco el Alto, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Atotonilco el Alto are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Atotonilco el Alto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.