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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,021 in Cholula, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,575 in Cholula, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,129 in Cholula, rent included.

Medellin and Cholula have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Medellin and Cholula are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Cholula 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$11.99 MX$206

-50.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$45.85 MX$787

-27.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.16 MX$140

-11.40%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.64 MX$62.5

-55.22%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.18 MX$20.21

-7.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.92 MX$15.71

-20.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.40 MX$41.15

-27.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$4.17 MX$71.5

-22.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.42 MX$24.32

-26.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$2.55 MX$43.76

-49.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.54 MX$26.49

-14.29%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.42 MX$41.48

-6.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.11 MX$122

-38.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.50 MX$111

-9.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$10.86 MX$186

-20.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.52 MX$43.21

-10.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.37 MX$23.58

-21.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.64 MX$28.14

-7.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.77 MX$30.37

-19.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.70 MX$29.15

-31.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.83 MX$31.43

-36.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.26 MX$21.64

-29.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.10 MX$18.96

-18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.30 MX$73.8

-47.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$14.18 MX$243

-22.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.30 MX$22.29

-12.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.85 MX$48.88

-16.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.61 MX$10.54

37.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$16.36 MX$281

156.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$3.25 MX$55.8

-56.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.24 MX$21.35

53.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$10.45 MX$179

-25.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.26 MX$21.56

-19.84%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$20.2K MX$346.4K

-12.91%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.6K MX$354.3K

28.37%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$62.9 MX$1,080

33.04%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$22.37 MX$384

-57.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$25.48 MX$437

-5.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$35.39 MX$607

-28.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$15.73 MX$270

21.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.27 MX$90.5

-22.20%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$319 MX$5,478

-2.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$3,546 MX$60.9K

69.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$51.1 MX$877

13.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$42.73 MX$733

-23.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$112 MX$1,915

-10.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$99.7 MX$1,712

8.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$365 MX$6,270

32.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$254 MX$4,359

49.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$511 MX$8,774

63.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$377 MX$6,473

91.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,940 MX$33.3K

46.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,240 MX$21.3K

-1.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$853 MX$14.6K

-36.62%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Cholula: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $365 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 58% higher in Cholula. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $46.00 in Cholula. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $246 – 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,531 in Cholula. 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.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Cholula, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $319 in Cholula. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Cholula at $1,021. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cholula it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,017 versus $1,021 in Cholula. 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cholula makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.