Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,746 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $2,612 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $3,478 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

Medellin is about 2% cheaper than Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur by 27%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$11.27 MX$190

-28.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$52.0 MX$878

-7.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$9.92 MX$168

-1.51%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$3.53 MX$59.7

-17.56%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$1.54 MX$26.03

25.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$1.04 MX$17.62

46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$2.69 MX$45.54

14.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$4.68 MX$79.1

22.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.87 MX$31.68

-27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$3.27 MX$55.3

-26.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$2.64 MX$44.59

-35.61%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$2.46 MX$41.63

16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$12.73 MX$215

-21.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$10.65 MX$180

1.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$14.62 MX$247

0.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$2.82 MX$47.58

45.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.62 MX$27.45

-3.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$1.71 MX$28.87

24.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$1.82 MX$30.74

21.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$1.34 MX$22.71

52.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$2.03 MX$34.31

-26.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$2.99 MX$50.5

-60.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$1.29 MX$21.83

-10.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$5.20 MX$87.9

-25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$11.99 MX$203

20.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.60 MX$27.06

-1.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$3.73 MX$63.0

-24.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.99 MX$16.65

18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$55.5 MX$937

40.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$4.68 MX$79.0

-72.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$3.36 MX$56.7

-37.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$11.51 MX$194

-25.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.59 MX$26.82

-18.24%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$22.5K MX$380.6K

22.82%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$25.4K MX$429.7K

39.65%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$89.6 MX$1,514

96.51%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$27.14 MX$459

-50.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$33.74 MX$570

-11.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$49.06 MX$829

-8.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

$30.14 MX$509

-43.40%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$4.50 MX$76.1

37.78%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$253 MX$4,277

213.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$8,964 MX$151.5K

0.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$77.0 MX$1,301

11.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$55.7 MX$941

5.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$101 MX$1,704

35.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$72.6 MX$1,227

42.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$1,224 MX$20.7K

-13.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$793 MX$13.4K

-14.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$2,590 MX$43.8K

-22.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$1,251 MX$21.1K

-6.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$3,864 MX$65.3K

6.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$2,174 MX$36.7K

-21.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$806 MX$13.6K

-17.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

11.6

-5.69%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $1,224 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. 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 21% higher in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, 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 $52.0 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $322 – 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 Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur is pricier by about 2%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $2,618 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. 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.

Public transport costs about 40% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Medellin and $253 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,746. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur 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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.