Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chihuahua Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chihuahua

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,343 in Chihuahua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,980 in Chihuahua, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,618 in Chihuahua, rent included.

Medellin costs about 22% more than Chihuahua, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Chihuahua is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$11.75 MX$200

-31.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.7K

$35.48 MX$603

36.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$11.95 MX$203

-21.17%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,045

$2.51 MX$42.68

17.13%

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

$1.86 COP 5,738

$1.31 MX$22.18

41.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,481

$0.82 MX$13.94

78.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,887

$2.45 MX$41.68

31.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$4.30 MX$73.1

32.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,431

$1.75 MX$29.66

-17.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,393

$3.43 MX$58.3

-30.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,230

$2.26 MX$38.44

-24.78%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,901

$2.74 MX$46.57

5.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.0K

$10.12 MX$172

-0.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$7.50 MX$127

32.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$13.74 MX$234

3.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.61 MX$44.36

52.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,880

$1.65 MX$28.04

-4.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,627

$2.27 MX$38.60

-5.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,082

$3.02 MX$51.4

-23.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,172

$2.70 MX$45.89

-25.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,648

$2.87 MX$48.83

-47.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,703

$1.45 MX$24.68

-17.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,948

$1.27 MX$21.53

0.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$4.66 MX$79.2

-17.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$11.28 MX$192

24.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,259

$1.59 MX$27.08

7.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,444

$3.10 MX$52.7

-11.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,836

$0.60 MX$10.27

108.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.9K

$35.89 MX$610

117.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,018

$3.01 MX$51.2

-56.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,684

$0.87 MX$14.70

149.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$10.79 MX$183

-23.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,174

$1.57 MX$26.75

-13.38%

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

$27.5K COP 84.6M

$23.3K MX$396.3K

17.79%

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

$36.5K COP 112.5M

$26.4K MX$447.7K

38.66%

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

$169 COP 519.5K

$91.6 MX$1,556

84.17%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$23.06 MX$392

-41.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$25.52 MX$434

10.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.8K

$30.07 MX$511

52.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$5.42 MX$92.1

22.69%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$287 MX$4,879

179.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$3,573 MX$60.7K

157.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 269.0K

$54.1 MX$919

61.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.8K

$26.71 MX$454

122.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.7K

$109 MX$1,860

26.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.2K

$96.3 MX$1,636

5.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$654 MX$11.1K

63.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$491 MX$8,345

32.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,164 MX$19.8K

65.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$752 MX$12.8K

39.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$3,733 MX$63.4K

10.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,204 MX$20.5K

40.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$902 MX$15.3K

-27.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

10.84

0.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chihuahua: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $654 in Chihuahua. 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 38% higher in Chihuahua, 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 $35.00 in Chihuahua. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Medellin vs $300 in Chihuahua – so Medellin 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 Chihuahua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 22% more than Chihuahua, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $2,014 in Chihuahua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Medellin and $287 in Chihuahua. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chihuahua, where all-in costs run around $1,343, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Chihuahua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chihuahua costs $1,343 versus $1,641 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Chihuahua. 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.