Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Colima Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Colima

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $914 in Colima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,488 in Colima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $2,062 in Colima.

Living in Medellin is roughly 11% more expensive than Colima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Colima 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$6.24 MX$108

-4.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$31.19 MX$541

5.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.01 MX$139

-11.49%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.14 MX$37.02

-20.09%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.81 MX$14.06

35.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.54 MX$9.41

44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.70 MX$29.52

-1.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.84 MX$49.27

8.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.32 MX$22.95

-17.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$2.52 MX$43.66

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.32 MX$22.91

4.55%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.29 MX$39.64

-4.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$5.91 MX$102

-25.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.87 MX$136

-28.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$9.72 MX$168

-8.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.86 MX$49.48

-18.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.35 MX$23.39

-21.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.49 MX$25.77

0.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$2.22 MX$38.48

-37.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.76 MX$30.57

-34.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$2.32 MX$40.21

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.33 MX$23.05

-33.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.09 MX$18.86

-22.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$3.51 MX$60.9

-35.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$6.78 MX$117

56.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.63 MX$28.18

-26.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.94 MX$33.58

27.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.65 MX$11.34

32.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$19.15 MX$332

116.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$2.36 MX$40.98

-37.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.53 MX$26.60

28.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$8.43 MX$146

-8.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.33 MX$23.02

-28.57%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$22.4K MX$388.0K

-19.02%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$21.6K MX$373.6K

22.86%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$62.6 MX$1,084

31.47%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$19.75 MX$342

-51.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$30.68 MX$532

-21.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$34.00 MX$589

-23.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$20.99 MX$364

-9.48%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.58 MX$79.5

-14.19%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$142 MX$2,453

118.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$2,404 MX$41.7K

148.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$46.41 MX$804

26.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$28.23 MX$489

14.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$84.6 MX$1,467

21.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$99.2 MX$1,719

9.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$509 MX$8,814

-6.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$247 MX$4,282

53.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$333 MX$5,769

151.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$536 MX$9,283

35.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$300 MX$5,196

70.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.07

21.32%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Colima: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $509 in Colima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 71% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $31.00 in Colima. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $232, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 Colima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Colima differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $914 including rent). Colima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 71% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $509 in Colima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Colima runs roughly 116% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $142 in Colima. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $914 in Colima versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Colima but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Colima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Colima are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Colima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.