Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Guanajuato Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Guanajuato

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $795 in Guanajuato.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,350 in Guanajuato.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,904 in Guanajuato.

Living in Medellin is roughly 26% more expensive than in Guanajuato, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Guanajuato 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$8.13 MX$141

-27.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$32.93 MX$570

0.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.28 MX$109

18.31%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.14 MX$36.97

-22.90%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.29 MX$22.33

-14.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.95 MX$16.43

-17.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.66 MX$46.05

-35.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$4.62 MX$80.0

-31.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.32 MX$22.78

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$2.30 MX$39.80

-45.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.36 MX$23.51

1.47%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.95 MX$33.77

11.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$5.59 MX$96.8

-19.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$7.59 MX$131

-23.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$9.41 MX$163

-4.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.73 MX$47.18

-15.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.41 MX$24.35

-24.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.76 MX$30.45

-13.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.82 MX$31.50

-25.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.96 MX$33.95

-42.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.16 MX$37.41

-45.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.33 MX$22.93

-32.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.97 MX$16.86

-7.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$4.04 MX$69.9

-44.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$6.69 MX$116

81.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.65 MX$28.53

-27.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$3.47 MX$60.0

-28.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.40 MX$6.99

112.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$26.38 MX$456

57.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.80 MX$13.93

77.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.12 MX$19.46

74.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$8.52 MX$147

-7.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.30 MX$22.42

-23.85%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$21.7K MX$375.1K

-18.81%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$21.6K MX$373.7K

24.08%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$46.17 MX$799

79.79%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$22.41 MX$388

-56.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$21.06 MX$364

11.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$27.95 MX$484

-9.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$15.95 MX$276

19.75%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$4.71 MX$81.5

-16.14%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$183 MX$3,173

72.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$3,378 MX$58.4K

76.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$57.4 MX$993

4.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$36.80 MX$637

-13.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$52.9 MX$915

92.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$58.9 MX$1,020

82.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$305 MX$5,278

55.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$185 MX$3,193

102.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$699 MX$12.1K

21.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$429 MX$7,421

67.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,429 MX$24.7K

128.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,139 MX$19.7K

26.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$735 MX$12.7K

-15.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.5

16.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Guanajuato: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $305 in Guanajuato. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Guanajuato pays 18% 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 $33.00 in Guanajuato for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $226 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 Guanajuato: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Guanajuato wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Guanajuato the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 18% lower in Guanajuato. 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: $475 in Medellin versus $305 in Guanajuato. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 17% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

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

At $795 in Guanajuato versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Guanajuato but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Guanajuato the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Guanajuato delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $795 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Guanajuato hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Guanajuato 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 Guanajuato gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.