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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,367 in Cancun, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $2,240 in Cancun, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $3,112 in Cancun, rent included.

Medellin is about 25% cheaper than Cancun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Cancun is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.0K

$13.37 MX$234

-53.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.0K

$54.0 MX$943

-39.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$10.08 MX$176

-27.18%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,592

$3.56 MX$62.3

-51.69%

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

$1.05 COP 3,416

$1.58 MX$27.66

-33.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,511

$0.95 MX$16.68

-18.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,480

$2.97 MX$52.0

-43.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$4.59 MX$80.2

-30.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,418

$1.44 MX$25.11

-27.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,230

$2.50 MX$43.77

-48.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,538

$1.84 MX$32.19

-23.91%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,037

$2.61 MX$45.57

-17.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.54 MX$202

-61.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$8.40 MX$147

-30.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$10.97 MX$192

-21.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,415

$3.14 MX$55.0

-27.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,599

$1.63 MX$28.58

-31.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,976

$3.13 MX$54.7

-51.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,405

$2.08 MX$36.36

-35.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,669

$2.18 MX$38.15

-48.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,687

$2.23 MX$39.02

-49.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,749

$1.08 MX$18.84

-21.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,971

$1.32 MX$23.13

-31.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,619

$4.26 MX$74.4

-45.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.2K

$10.43 MX$182

18.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,904

$1.75 MX$30.58

-31.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,094

$2.63 MX$46.02

-5.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,724

$0.65 MX$11.30

29.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 131.9K

$59.1 MX$1,033

-31.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,617

$4.34 MX$75.8

-67.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,227

$2.58 MX$45.20

-25.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$10.01 MX$175

-23.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,219

$1.28 MX$22.34

-22.66%

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

$18.0K COP 58.6M

$29.8K MX$520.8K

-39.47%

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

$26.6K COP 86.6M

$23.7K MX$415.1K

12.16%

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

$80.8 COP 262.7K

$115 MX$2,018

-29.99%

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

$9.95 COP 32.3K

$22.90 MX$400

-56.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.6K

$35.36 MX$618

-31.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.5K

$25.30 MX$442

-0.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$24.43 MX$427

-21.61%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.95 MX$104

-33.11%

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

$305 COP 992.2K

$202 MX$3,533

51.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$5,302 MX$92.7K

14.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.0K

$54.2 MX$947

7.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.7K

$39.72 MX$695

-18.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.5K

$82.2 MX$1,437

22.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.3K

$108 MX$1,881

0.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.5M

$626 MX$10.9K

-23.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$457 MX$7,998

-17.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,282 MX$22.4K

-34.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$978 MX$17.1K

-25.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,287 MX$22.5K

149.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,030 MX$35.5K

-32.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$803 MX$14.0K

-23.23%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cancun: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $626 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 30% 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: $193 vs $281 – 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: $1,031 in Medellin, $1,367 in Cancun – roughly 33% apart. Cancun costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $2,051 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 $305 per month in Medellin and $202 in Cancun. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% 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 $1,031, than in Cancun at $1,367. 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 $1,031 in Medellin to $1,367 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.