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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,487 in Cancun, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $2,433 in Cancun, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $3,378 in Cancun, rent included.

Medellin costs about 15% more than Cancun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Cancun sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Cancun by 8%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.3K

$11.92 MX$203

-32.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 152.3K

$58.9 MX$1,001

-18.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.8K

$12.04 MX$205

-18.85%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,185

$4.17 MX$70.8

-30.22%

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

$1.94 COP 6,134

$1.39 MX$23.68

39.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,801

$0.88 MX$14.95

72.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,759

$3.30 MX$56.2

-6.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$4.49 MX$76.3

27.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,304

$1.77 MX$30.00

-23.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,534

$2.72 MX$46.14

-12.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,366

$1.78 MX$30.31

-4.49%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,056

$2.88 MX$48.88

-0.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.4K

$10.41 MX$177

-4.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 34.0K

$9.12 MX$155

18.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.5K

$14.27 MX$243

3.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.9K

$2.92 MX$49.59

40.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,960

$1.70 MX$28.85

-7.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,708

$3.24 MX$55.1

-34.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,985

$2.37 MX$40.28

-6.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,460

$2.03 MX$34.56

0.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,747

$1.96 MX$33.35

-23.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,755

$1.19 MX$20.30

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,654

$1.28 MX$21.81

-9.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$4.80 MX$81.6

-18.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.6K

$10.51 MX$179

37.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,997

$1.63 MX$27.76

-3.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,923

$2.85 MX$48.43

-0.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,686

$0.68 MX$11.48

72.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 245.3K

$30.36 MX$516

156.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,054

$4.57 MX$77.7

-71.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,602

$3.14 MX$53.4

-33.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.2K

$14.75 MX$251

-41.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,096

$1.57 MX$26.72

-17.20%

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

$27.7K COP 87.3M

$22.5K MX$382.9K

22.73%

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

$35.5K COP 112.0M

$25.9K MX$440.4K

37.02%

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

$176 COP 555.6K

$177 MX$3,002

-0.32%

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

$13.37 COP 42.2K

$25.68 MX$436

-47.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.3K

$40.90 MX$695

-26.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 141.2K

$34.82 MX$592

28.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.8K

$14.59 MX$248

16.93%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.6K

$7.76 MX$132

-20.10%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$222 MX$3,772

257.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.5M

$5,926 MX$100.7K

52.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 270.1K

$59.3 MX$1,007

44.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 184.5K

$58.7 MX$998

-0.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 430.1K

$81.3 MX$1,382

67.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 325.4K

$99.8 MX$1,695

3.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$699 MX$11.9K

51.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$482 MX$8,188

41.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$1,495 MX$25.4K

34.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$1,124 MX$19.1K

3.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 13.0M

$1,356 MX$23.0K

203.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.4M

$2,103 MX$35.7K

-19.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$847 MX$14.4K

-21.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

11.45

-4.45%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Cancun: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $699 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 27% higher in Cancun, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $59.0 in Cancun. Groceries tell a different story – $303 in Medellin vs $298 in Cancun – so Cancun wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $1,716 in Medellin, $1,487 in Cancun – roughly 15% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $2,231 in Cancun. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cancun, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Medellin and $222 in Cancun. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cancun, where all-in costs run around $1,487, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Cancun it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin 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 $1,487 in Cancun to $1,716 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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