Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cancun Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cancun

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,365 in Cancun, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,243 in Cancun, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $3,121 in Cancun, rent included.

Medellin is about 26% cheaper than Cancun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Cancun is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$13.37 MX$232

-55.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$53.7 MX$930

-38.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$10.13 MX$176

-30.01%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$3.44 MX$59.6

-50.29%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.58 MX$27.42

-30.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.90 MX$15.60

-13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$3.04 MX$52.7

-44.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$4.48 MX$77.6

-31.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.43 MX$24.82

-23.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$2.54 MX$44.02

-50.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.93 MX$33.46

-28.50%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.63 MX$45.50

-16.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$11.32 MX$196

-61.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$8.69 MX$151

-35.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$10.72 MX$186

-17.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$3.25 MX$56.3

-28.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.57 MX$27.18

-32.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$3.14 MX$54.4

-52.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$2.20 MX$38.11

-37.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$2.14 MX$37.08

-46.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$2.31 MX$40.04

-49.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.08 MX$18.64

-17.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.28 MX$22.18

-34.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$4.20 MX$72.7

-45.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$10.25 MX$178

3.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.68 MX$29.05

-28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.62 MX$45.32

-5.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.60 MX$10.44

43.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$60.6 MX$1,050

-31.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$4.21 MX$72.9

-65.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$2.48 MX$42.91

-20.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$9.97 MX$173

-22.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.33 MX$23.06

-28.57%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$30.5K MX$529.1K

-40.61%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$24.1K MX$417.4K

9.96%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$116 MX$2,003

-28.85%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$23.15 MX$401

-58.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$36.11 MX$626

-32.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$25.40 MX$440

1.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$24.07 MX$417

-21.06%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.06 MX$105

-35.15%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$197 MX$3,419

56.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$5,199 MX$90.1K

14.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$53.9 MX$934

8.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$39.89 MX$691

-18.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$82.7 MX$1,432

24.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$112 MX$1,933

-2.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$616 MX$10.7K

-22.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$459 MX$7,946

-17.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,267 MX$22.0K

-33.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,012 MX$17.5K

-28.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$2,189 MX$37.9K

27.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$2,287 MX$39.6K

-47.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$803 MX$13.9K

-36.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.42

17.60%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cancun: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $616 in Cancun. 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 57% higher in Cancun, 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 Cancun. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $282 – 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 Cancun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,013 in Medellin, $1,365 in Cancun – roughly 35% apart. Cancun costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $2,048 in Cancun. 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.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $197 in Cancun. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% more in Cancun, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Cancun at $1,365. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cancun it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,013 in Medellin to $1,365 in Cancun. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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