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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,123 in Chihuahua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,706 in Chihuahua, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,289 in Chihuahua, rent included.

Medellin is about 8% cheaper than Chihuahua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Chihuahua are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Chihuahua 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$10.60 MX$186

-41.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$31.19 MX$547

4.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.83 MX$155

-16.87%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$3.78 MX$66.3

-54.50%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.02 MX$17.90

2.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.86 MX$15.04

-10.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.83 MX$32.02

-7.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.40 MX$59.6

-6.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.52 MX$26.72

-30.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.90 MX$50.9

-55.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.90 MX$33.39

-26.32%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$2.37 MX$41.56

-8.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.03 MX$158

-51.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.98 MX$140

-26.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$11.79 MX$207

-26.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$2.62 MX$45.87

-12.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.39 MX$24.46

-20.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.90 MX$33.24

-19.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.91 MX$33.50

-29.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.11 MX$36.95

-46.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.98 MX$34.64

-42.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.25 MX$21.97

-32.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.06 MX$18.57

-14.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$4.10 MX$71.9

-42.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$11.03 MX$193

12.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.51 MX$26.51

-20.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.80 MX$49.20

-11.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.65 MX$11.47

29.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$32.10 MX$563

26.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.71 MX$47.60

-47.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.69 MX$12.16

178.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$9.57 MX$168

-19.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.29 MX$22.60

-23.26%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$20.9K MX$367.2K

-13.88%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$23.3K MX$408.6K

14.31%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$73.7 MX$1,293

9.66%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$22.80 MX$400

-56.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$23.73 MX$416

1.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$25.82 MX$453

-2.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$27.86 MX$489

-31.26%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.29 MX$75.2

-7.23%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$184 MX$3,229

65.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,764 MX$66.0K

60.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$54.5 MX$955

6.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$39.73 MX$697

-18.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$101 MX$1,777

-0.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$75.3 MX$1,320

43.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$436 MX$7,642

9.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$365 MX$6,399

3.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$877 MX$15.4K

-3.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$551 MX$9,663

32.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$3,535 MX$62.0K

-9.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,184 MX$20.8K

15.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$864 MX$15.2K

-28.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.25

19.38%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chihuahua: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $436 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 40% higher in Chihuahua, 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 $31.00 in Chihuahua. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $266 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

Chihuahua costs about 9% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,684 in Chihuahua. 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 $184 in Chihuahua. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Chihuahua, 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 Chihuahua at $1,123. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chihuahua it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,031 versus $1,123 in Chihuahua. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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