Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cuernavaca Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cuernavaca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,000 in Cuernavaca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,665 in Cuernavaca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $2,329 in Cuernavaca.

Living in Medellin is roughly 2% more expensive than Cuernavaca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Cuernavaca 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$9.41 MX$162

-36.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$36.50 MX$626

-8.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.95 MX$119

4.03%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.25 MX$38.69

-27.56%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.30 MX$22.25

-16.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.78 MX$13.34

-6.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.31 MX$39.66

-24.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.09 MX$53.0

4.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.55 MX$26.54

-32.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.72 MX$29.59

-25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.34 MX$23.02

-1.49%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.86 MX$31.98

22.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.11 MX$139

-46.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.21 MX$107

-5.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$13.05 MX$224

-34.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.14 MX$36.73

5.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.33 MX$22.86

-19.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.71 MX$29.38

-11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.56 MX$26.83

-8.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.73 MX$29.76

-32.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.89 MX$32.37

-38.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.96 MX$16.48

-7.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.77 MX$13.26

16.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.10 MX$70.5

-45.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.47 MX$145

30.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.12 MX$19.19

1.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.89 MX$49.53

-17.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.55 MX$9.39

52.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$26.25 MX$451

59.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.88 MX$32.35

-25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.24 MX$21.30

53.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$9.47 MX$162

-18.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.27 MX$21.87

-20.47%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$18.7K MX$320.9K

-5.97%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.7K MX$355.2K

28.02%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$60.5 MX$1,039

38.29%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$22.55 MX$387

-58.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$28.25 MX$485

-14.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$22.93 MX$394

10.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$15.70 MX$270

21.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.43 MX$93.1

-24.49%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$212 MX$3,634

47.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,925 MX$84.5K

21.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$48.01 MX$824

20.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$39.50 MX$678

-17.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$100 MX$1,721

-0.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$82.0 MX$1,408

32.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$380 MX$6,529

26.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$312 MX$5,354

21.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$899 MX$15.4K

-6.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$773 MX$13.3K

-6.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$903 MX$15.5K

214.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$632 MX$10.8K

93.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$679 MX$11.6K

-20.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.33

18.53%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Cuernavaca: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $380 in Cuernavaca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cuernavaca pays 25% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $36.00 in Cuernavaca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $224 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 Cuernavaca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cuernavaca is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cuernavaca earns 25% 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 $380 in Cuernavaca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 18% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Cuernavaca – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,000 in Cuernavaca versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cuernavaca but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cuernavaca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Medellin and Cuernavaca 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 Cuernavaca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.