Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cholula Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cholula

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $998 in Cholula, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,578 in Cholula, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,158 in Cholula, rent included.

Medellin costs about 4% more than Cholula, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Cholula are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Cholula 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$12.39 MX$217

-52.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$46.84 MX$820

-30.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.78 MX$136

-7.46%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.67 MX$64.2

-53.68%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.19 MX$20.89

-7.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.92 MX$16.08

-21.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.34 MX$40.92

-28.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.31 MX$75.4

-28.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.50 MX$26.26

-29.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.68 MX$46.88

-53.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.57 MX$27.50

-11.46%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.41 MX$42.16

-6.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$6.98 MX$122

-37.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.34 MX$111

-7.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$11.13 MX$195

-20.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.48 MX$43.42

-9.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.41 MX$24.67

-23.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.72 MX$30.07

-11.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.78 MX$31.22

-23.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.74 MX$30.37

-35.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.89 MX$33.10

-40.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.28 MX$22.32

-33.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.10 MX$19.21

-17.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.31 MX$75.3

-45.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$14.60 MX$256

-23.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.31 MX$22.89

-9.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.81 MX$49.21

-15.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.64 MX$11.27

23.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$15.99 MX$280

157.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$3.08 MX$54.0

-53.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.23 MX$21.55

55.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$10.54 MX$185

-23.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.31 MX$22.95

-28.24%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$19.7K MX$344.8K

-9.05%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.3K MX$355.3K

31.95%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$63.3 MX$1,108

32.58%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$22.29 MX$390

-56.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$25.16 MX$440

-3.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$36.58 MX$640

-29.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$15.78 MX$276

20.66%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.37 MX$93.9

-27.00%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$315 MX$5,508

-2.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$3,565 MX$62.4K

66.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$50.0 MX$876

15.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$42.68 MX$747

-25.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$108 MX$1,895

-7.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$99.8 MX$1,746

7.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$378 MX$6,609

28.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$255 MX$4,466

44.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$520 MX$9,097

58.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$391 MX$6,840

83.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,972 MX$34.5K

48.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,263 MX$22.1K

11.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$865 MX$15.1K

-36.92%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cholula: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $378 in Cholula. 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 59% higher in Cholula, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $47.00 in Cholula. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $249 – 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 Cholula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 4% more than Cholula, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,497 in Cholula. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $47.00 in Cholula. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $998 in Cholula. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cholula, where all-in costs run around $998, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Cholula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cholula costs $998 versus $1,034 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cholula. 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.