Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cuajimalpa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cuajimalpa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,018 in Medellin versus $1,086 in Cuajimalpa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,609 in Medellin versus $1,742 in Cuajimalpa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,200 in Medellin versus $2,398 in Cuajimalpa.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 6% less than in Cuajimalpa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Cuajimalpa 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.0K

$10.48 MX$184

-43.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.0K

$38.95 MX$682

-14.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.8K

$7.81 MX$137

-8.83%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,458

$3.20 MX$56.1

-46.56%

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

$1.05 COP 3,356

$1.27 MX$22.30

-17.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,311

$0.92 MX$16.03

-21.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,502

$2.35 MX$41.19

-26.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$3.92 MX$68.6

-19.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,408

$1.50 MX$26.30

-29.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,192

$2.55 MX$44.71

-48.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,256

$1.58 MX$27.65

-15.82%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,298

$2.37 MX$41.43

-3.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.1K

$8.07 MX$141

-45.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 18.9K

$7.85 MX$137

-24.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.7K

$10.38 MX$182

-16.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,504

$2.65 MX$46.43

-11.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,527

$1.45 MX$25.39

-24.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,698

$1.76 MX$30.90

-16.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,415

$1.61 MX$28.12

-14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,754

$1.93 MX$33.83

-39.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,744

$2.01 MX$35.14

-41.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,890

$1.26 MX$22.04

-28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,693

$0.98 MX$17.19

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,449

$4.20 MX$73.6

-44.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.1K

$10.79 MX$189

10.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,673

$1.60 MX$28.00

-28.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,749

$2.85 MX$49.92

-15.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,687

$0.66 MX$11.49

27.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 130.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,517

$2.62 MX$45.86

-46.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,127

$1.54 MX$26.93

24.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.0K

$8.44 MX$148

-7.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,020

$1.32 MX$23.12

-28.79%

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

$17.8K COP 57.0M

$21.4K MX$374.0K

-16.57%

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

$27.1K COP 86.7M

$22.3K MX$391.3K

21.20%

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

$83.3 COP 266.5K

$57.0 MX$998

46.07%

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

$9.66 COP 30.9K

$21.90 MX$384

-55.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.5K

$27.71 MX$485

-12.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 80.7K

$36.41 MX$638

-30.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 61.9K

$15.91 MX$279

21.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.0K

$4.56 MX$79.8

-10.75%

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

$307 COP 981.2K

$210 MX$3,677

46.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.1M

$3,556 MX$62.3K

68.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.9K

$53.7 MX$940

11.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 104.5K

$39.35 MX$689

-17.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 323.5K

$91.3 MX$1,598

10.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 345.7K

$79.8 MX$1,398

35.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$502 MX$8,791

-5.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$396 MX$6,931

-4.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$945 MX$16.5K

-13.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$760 MX$13.3K

-6.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.2M

$2,048 MX$35.9K

55.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.6M

$1,308 MX$22.9K

10.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.48

16.99%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Last update for Cuajimalpa: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $502 in Cuajimalpa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $39.00 in Cuajimalpa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $250 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 Cuajimalpa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,527 in Medellin and $1,628 in Cuajimalpa to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $502 in Cuajimalpa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $307 in Medellin versus $210 in Cuajimalpa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $39.00 in Cuajimalpa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,018 in Medellin versus $1,086 in Cuajimalpa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Cuajimalpa. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cuajimalpa, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Cuajimalpa 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 7% less than in Cuajimalpa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.