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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $979 in Ciudad Juarez, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,654 in Ciudad Juarez, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,329 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 23% lower, Ciudad Juarez 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$8.01 MX$141

-23.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$31.29 MX$549

4.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$10.10 MX$177

-27.33%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$3.27 MX$57.3

-47.40%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.13 MX$19.79

-7.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.85 MX$14.91

-9.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$2.17 MX$38.13

-22.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.90 MX$68.4

-18.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.64 MX$28.69

-35.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.36 MX$41.33

-44.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.75 MX$30.78

-20.00%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$2.39 MX$41.94

-9.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.12 MX$195

-60.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$8.63 MX$151

-31.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.89 MX$156

-2.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.99 MX$34.88

14.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.23 MX$21.55

-9.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.72 MX$30.09

-11.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.29 MX$40.13

-41.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.55 MX$27.25

-27.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.49 MX$43.68

-54.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.10 MX$36.82

-59.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.82 MX$14.32

10.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$4.23 MX$74.1

-44.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$11.38 MX$200

8.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.20 MX$21.08

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.54 MX$62.1

-29.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.62 MX$10.85

35.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$38.44 MX$674

5.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.59 MX$45.39

-45.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.01 MX$17.64

90.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$15.91 MX$279

-51.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.16 MX$20.40

-14.66%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$23.9K MX$418.6K

-24.45%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$21.3K MX$373.3K

25.13%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$67.4 MX$1,182

19.93%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$23.23 MX$408

-57.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$32.08 MX$563

-24.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$30.18 MX$529

-16.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$10.78 MX$189

77.64%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.39 MX$77.0

-9.34%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$210 MX$3,684

45.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$2,645 MX$46.4K

129.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$41.50 MX$728

40.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$21.32 MX$374

51.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$82.1 MX$1,440

22.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$70.1 MX$1,229

53.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$392 MX$6,883

21.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$245 MX$4,301

53.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$876 MX$15.4K

-3.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$743 MX$13.0K

-1.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,009 MX$17.7K

218.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$713 MX$12.5K

92.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$605 MX$10.6K

1.87%

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 Ciudad Juarez: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $392 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 2% higher in Medellin, 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 Ciudad Juarez. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $259 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: $1,031 in Medellin, $979 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,469 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $979 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 $979, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $979 in Ciudad Juarez to $1,031 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.