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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $912 in Colima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,467 in Colima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $2,022 in Colima.

Living in Medellin is roughly 13% more expensive than in Colima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Colima 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$6.38 MX$112

-3.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$31.42 MX$551

3.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.83 MX$137

-6.26%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.09 MX$36.65

-17.70%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.77 MX$13.55

36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.51 MX$8.93

50.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.75 MX$30.63

-3.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.72 MX$47.69

16.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.34 MX$23.47

-21.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.60 MX$45.58

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.38 MX$24.18

1.45%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$2.25 MX$39.40

-4.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$5.93 MX$104

-25.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.72 MX$135

-23.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.59 MX$168

-9.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$2.75 MX$48.24

-17.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.29 MX$22.62

-13.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.51 MX$26.56

1.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.18 MX$38.32

-38.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.79 MX$31.31

-36.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.31 MX$40.50

-51.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.33 MX$23.39

-36.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.08 MX$19.01

-15.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$3.61 MX$63.3

-35.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$6.73 MX$118

83.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.56 MX$27.45

-23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.88 MX$32.89

32.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.60 MX$10.55

40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$19.07 MX$335

112.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.32 MX$40.74

-38.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.53 MX$26.88

25.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$8.51 MX$149

-9.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.28 MX$22.53

-22.66%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$21.9K MX$383.6K

-17.57%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$21.3K MX$373.2K

25.15%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$62.5 MX$1,096

29.28%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$19.09 MX$335

-47.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$30.93 MX$543

-21.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$34.04 MX$597

-26.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$20.89 MX$366

-8.33%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.48 MX$78.5

-11.16%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$141 MX$2,468

116.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$2,406 MX$42.2K

151.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$46.85 MX$822

24.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$27.87 MX$489

15.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$86.9 MX$1,525

15.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$98.1 MX$1,720

9.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$511 MX$8,957

-6.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$255 MX$4,473

47.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$326 MX$5,717

159.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$551 MX$9,656

32.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$298 MX$5,234

106.71%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Colima: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $511 in Colima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 107% 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 $193 vs $231, 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 13% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $912 including rent). Colima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 107% higher in Medellin, 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: $477 in Medellin versus $511 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 113% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $141 in Colima. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $912 in Colima versus $1,031 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 13% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.