Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Coatzacoalcos Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Coatzacoalcos

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,229 in Coatzacoalcos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,963 in Coatzacoalcos, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,696 in Coatzacoalcos, rent included.

Medellin costs about 37% more than Coatzacoalcos, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Coatzacoalcos is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Coatzacoalcos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.02 COP 25.3K
$11.03 MX$189
-27.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.87 COP 151.0K
$52.6 MX$903
-8.99%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.89 COP 31.2K
$8.93 MX$153
10.75%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 9,873
$3.60 MX$61.7
-13.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91 COP 6,019
$1.39 MX$23.90
37.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 COP 4,763
$0.96 MX$16.47
57.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.12 COP 9,853
$3.00 MX$51.5
4.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.1K
$4.72 MX$81.1
21.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Coatzacoalcos
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 COP 4,558
$1.67 MX$28.63
-13.77%
White Bread (500g)
$2.49 COP 7,843
$2.73 MX$46.86
-8.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,595
$1.85 MX$31.69
-4.32%
Eggs
$2.96 COP 9,336
$2.67 MX$45.84
10.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.07 COP 31.8K
$8.64 MX$148
16.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.12 COP 31.9K
$10.23 MX$176
-1.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.30 COP 45.1K
$12.68 MX$218
12.78%
Apples (1kg)
$4.14 COP 13.0K
$3.33 MX$57.2
24.32%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 COP 5,073
$1.67 MX$28.68
-3.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 COP 7,083
$2.34 MX$40.21
-3.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.25 COP 7,104
$1.72 MX$29.47
30.81%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 COP 6,444
$2.21 MX$37.89
-7.69%
Onion (1kg)
$1.54 COP 4,842
$2.13 MX$36.54
-27.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,691
$1.39 MX$23.86
-15.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 COP 4,121
$1.21 MX$20.76
8.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.90 COP 12.3K
$5.14 MX$88.3
-24.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.01 COP 44.2K
$10.58 MX$182
32.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 COP 5,498
$2.04 MX$34.94
-14.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 COP 9,053
$2.98 MX$51.1
-3.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Coatzacoalcos
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.22 COP 3,834
$0.73 MX$12.57
67.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$80.5 COP 253.9K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.31 COP 4,129
$2.73 MX$46.78
-52.01%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.19 COP 6,899
$1.93 MX$33.18
13.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.71 COP 27.5K
$11.64 MX$200
-25.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.37 COP 4,306
$1.68 MX$28.88
-18.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K COP 87.8M
$24.8K MX$425.5K
12.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.8K COP 112.8M
$26.1K MX$448.3K
36.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Coatzacoalcos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$177 COP 559.3K
$56.7 MX$973
212.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.88 COP 43.8K
$26.86 MX$461
-48.32%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.72 COP 93.8K
$29.17 MX$501
1.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Coatzacoalcos
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.88 COP 141.6K
$31.35 MX$538
43.16%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.12 COP 54.0K
$18.55 MX$318
-7.71%
Cinema Ticket
$6.65 COP 21.0K
$4.91 MX$84.3
35.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Coatzacoalcos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$813 COP 2.6M
$231 MX$3,957
252.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,187 COP 29.0M
$5,273 MX$90.5K
74.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Coatzacoalcos
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.5 COP 282.3K
$63.5 MX$1,089
41.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.0 COP 186.0K
$50.3 MX$863
17.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 435.9K
$108 MX$1,855
27.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 COP 322.1K
$79.2 MX$1,360
28.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Coatzacoalcos
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,062 COP 3.3M
$641 MX$11.0K
65.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$663 COP 2.1M
$431 MX$7,392
53.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,888 COP 6.0M
$1,053 MX$18.1K
79.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,027 COP 3.2M
$831 MX$14.3K
23.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,183 COP 13.2M
$1,944 MX$33.4K
115.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,675 COP 5.3M
$1,193 MX$20.5K
40.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Coatzacoalcos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$678 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
11.3
-3.19%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Coatzacoalcos: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $641 in Coatzacoalcos. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $53.0 in Coatzacoalcos. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $290 in Coatzacoalcos – so Coatzacoalcos 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 Coatzacoalcos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Coatzacoalcos cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,843 in Coatzacoalcos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Coatzacoalcos, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Coatzacoalcos?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $53.0 in Coatzacoalcos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Coatzacoalcos?
Groceries cost about 5% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Coatzacoalcos?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Coatzacoalcos, where all-in costs run around $1,229, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Coatzacoalcos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Coatzacoalcos more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Coatzacoalcos – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Coatzacoalcos. 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.

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