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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,714 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $2,584 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $3,454 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

Medellin is about 40% cheaper than Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur is 28% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$11.26 MX$196

-45.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$53.8 MX$936

-39.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$9.77 MX$170

-24.87%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.48 MX$60.5

-50.57%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.59 MX$27.60

-33.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.04 MX$18.10

-25.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.34 MX$40.76

-27.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.90 MX$67.9

-18.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.84 MX$32.01

-42.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.57 MX$44.83

-49.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.42 MX$42.18

-42.15%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.16 MX$37.56

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.25 MX$161

-52.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$9.48 MX$165

-37.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$14.56 MX$254

-40.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.54 MX$44.26

-10.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.48 MX$25.77

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.54 MX$26.89

-0.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.77 MX$30.77

-23.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.08 MX$18.88

4.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.63 MX$28.38

-30.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.82 MX$49.12

-69.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.29 MX$22.47

-29.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$4.86 MX$84.7

-51.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$11.59 MX$202

6.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.23 MX$21.48

-2.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.12 MX$54.3

-20.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.83 MX$14.42

1.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$50.4 MX$877

-19.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$4.32 MX$75.3

-67.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.66 MX$46.24

-27.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$10.48 MX$182

-26.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.31 MX$22.87

-24.43%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$21.9K MX$381.2K

-17.63%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$23.3K MX$405.6K

14.32%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$82.9 MX$1,443

-2.52%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$23.78 MX$414

-58.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$25.99 MX$453

-6.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$44.32 MX$772

-43.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$15.84 MX$276

20.90%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.94 MX$68.7

1.02%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$131 MX$2,274

133.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$7,880 MX$137.2K

-23.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$70.6 MX$1,229

-17.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$50.5 MX$879

-36.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$90.6 MX$1,578

11.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$64.2 MX$1,119

67.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$851 MX$14.8K

-43.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$827 MX$14.4K

-54.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$2,218 MX$38.6K

-61.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,476 MX$25.7K

-50.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$3,843 MX$66.9K

-16.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,197 MX$38.3K

-37.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$792 MX$13.8K

-22.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.5

16.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $851 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 28% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $54.0 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $287 – 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 66%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $2,571 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 24% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $131 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,714. 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.