Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ciudad Juarez Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ciudad Juarez

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $963 in Ciudad Juarez, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,665 in Ciudad Juarez, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,366 in Ciudad Juarez, rent included.

Medellin costs about 5% more than Ciudad Juarez, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Ciudad Juarez are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Ciudad Juarez 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$7.98 MX$138

-24.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$31.30 MX$542

4.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$10.22 MX$177

-30.63%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$3.28 MX$56.8

-47.87%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.15 MX$19.88

-4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.81 MX$13.95

-3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$2.15 MX$37.24

-21.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$3.96 MX$68.5

-22.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.56 MX$27.09

-30.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$2.34 MX$40.55

-46.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.85 MX$31.99

-25.41%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.46 MX$42.62

-10.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$11.09 MX$192

-60.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$8.67 MX$150

-35.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$8.92 MX$155

-0.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.93 MX$33.44

21.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.21 MX$20.92

-12.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.67 MX$28.91

-10.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$2.38 MX$41.30

-42.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.55 MX$26.94

-25.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$2.42 MX$41.95

-52.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$2.10 MX$36.39

-57.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.88 MX$15.26

-4.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$4.20 MX$72.7

-45.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$11.64 MX$202

-8.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.17 MX$20.34

2.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$3.54 MX$61.3

-30.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.61 MX$10.57

40.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$39.24 MX$680

5.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$2.69 MX$46.56

-45.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.02 MX$17.65

92.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$15.56 MX$270

-50.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.21 MX$20.97

-21.49%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$23.4K MX$405.5K

-22.51%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$21.4K MX$370.0K

24.05%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$67.4 MX$1,168

22.07%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$23.94 MX$415

-60.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$31.37 MX$544

-22.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$30.13 MX$522

-14.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$10.60 MX$184

79.25%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.56 MX$79.0

-13.82%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$210 MX$3,635

47.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$2,689 MX$46.6K

121.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$42.13 MX$730

39.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$21.23 MX$368

52.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$79.7 MX$1,382

28.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$69.2 MX$1,199

56.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$389 MX$6,734

22.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$247 MX$4,277

53.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$875 MX$15.2K

-4.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$739 MX$12.8K

-2.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,009 MX$17.5K

176.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$730 MX$12.6K

65.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$615 MX$10.7K

-16.83%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ciudad Juarez: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $389 in Ciudad Juarez. 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 20% higher in Ciudad Juarez, 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 $31.00 in Ciudad Juarez. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $260 in Ciudad Juarez – 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 Ciudad Juarez: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,013 in Medellin, $963 in Ciudad Juarez – roughly 5% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,444 in Ciudad Juarez. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ciudad Juarez, 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 $31.00 in Ciudad Juarez. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $963 in Ciudad Juarez. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ciudad Juarez, where all-in costs run around $963, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Ciudad Juarez 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 $963 in Ciudad Juarez to $1,013 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Ciudad Juarez. 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.