Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cozumel Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cozumel

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,145 in Cozumel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $2,350 in Cozumel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $3,556 in Cozumel.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 11% less than in Cozumel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Cozumel 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$8.61 MX$148

-30.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$42.87 MX$736

-22.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.76 MX$133

-6.83%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.06 MX$52.5

-46.73%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.21 MX$20.76

-9.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.07 MX$18.37

-31.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.80 MX$30.90

-3.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.80 MX$65.2

-15.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.36 MX$23.36

-22.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.55 MX$26.58

-16.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.50 MX$25.82

-12.00%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.93 MX$33.21

17.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$10.31 MX$177

-57.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.82 MX$117

-13.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$11.19 MX$192

-23.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.35 MX$40.29

-4.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.42 MX$24.32

-24.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.13 MX$36.57

-28.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.50 MX$25.70

-5.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.10 MX$36.06

-44.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.92 MX$32.96

-39.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.07 MX$18.43

-16.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.94 MX$16.09

-4.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.24 MX$72.7

-46.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$11.35 MX$195

-2.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.32 MX$22.59

-13.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.88 MX$49.50

-17.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.61 MX$10.53

37.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$2.37 MX$40.67

-40.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.49 MX$42.76

-23.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$6.56 MX$113

18.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.26 MX$21.64

-19.84%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$15.8K MX$271.2K

11.27%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$21.1K MX$361.5K

25.79%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$50.5 MX$867

65.64%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$21.65 MX$372

-56.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$21.87 MX$375

10.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$36.31 MX$623

-30.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$21.25 MX$365

-9.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.54 MX$78.0

-9.69%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$394 MX$6,762

-20.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$3,540 MX$60.8K

69.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$55.7 MX$956

4.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$47.87 MX$822

-31.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$91.0 MX$1,562

9.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$85.5 MX$1,467

27.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$705 MX$12.1K

-31.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$478 MX$8,200

-20.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,552 MX$26.6K

-46.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$2,013 MX$34.6K

-64.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,460 MX$25.1K

94.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,864 MX$32.0K

-34.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$688 MX$11.8K

-21.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.68

14.98%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Cozumel: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $705 in Cozumel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cozumel pays 27% 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 $43.00 in Cozumel for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $238 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Cozumel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Cozumel differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $1,145 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Cozumel earns 27% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Medellin versus $705 in Cozumel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Cozumel. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $1,145 in Cozumel – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,145 in Cozumel, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Cozumel. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin 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 Cozumel 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Cozumel. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.