Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Isla Mujeres Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Isla Mujeres

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,108 in Isla Mujeres.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,775 in Isla Mujeres.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $2,441 in Isla Mujeres.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 8% less than in Isla Mujeres, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Isla Mujeres 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$10.67 MX$183

-44.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$38.02 MX$653

-12.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.95 MX$136

-9.06%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.21 MX$55.2

-49.22%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.25 MX$21.44

-12.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.98 MX$16.77

-25.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.26 MX$38.80

-23.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.87 MX$66.4

-16.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.43 MX$24.46

-26.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$2.62 MX$44.98

-50.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.54 MX$26.49

-14.29%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.37 MX$40.74

-4.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.09 MX$139

-46.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$8.08 MX$139

-27.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$10.40 MX$179

-17.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.66 MX$45.61

-15.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.45 MX$24.88

-26.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.80 MX$30.91

-15.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.66 MX$28.43

-14.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.92 MX$32.98

-39.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.93 MX$33.20

-39.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.20 MX$20.56

-25.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.99 MX$16.97

-9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.12 MX$70.7

-45.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$10.74 MX$184

2.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.59 MX$27.35

-28.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.85 MX$48.86

-16.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.65 MX$11.19

29.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$2.66 MX$45.62

-46.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.55 MX$26.57

22.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$8.21 MX$141

-5.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.31 MX$22.44

-22.90%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$21.2K MX$363.1K

-16.89%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$22.1K MX$379.8K

19.74%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$56.5 MX$970

48.00%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$22.31 MX$383

-57.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$28.51 MX$489

-15.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$37.03 MX$636

-31.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$16.04 MX$275

19.33%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.70 MX$80.7

-12.77%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$203 MX$3,483

53.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$3,599 MX$61.8K

66.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$53.7 MX$922

8.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$39.21 MX$673

-16.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$89.9 MX$1,543

10.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$79.5 MX$1,364

36.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$505 MX$8,673

-4.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$401 MX$6,884

-5.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$923 MX$15.8K

-9.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$776 MX$13.3K

-6.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,748 MX$30.0K

62.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,165 MX$20.0K

5.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Isla Mujeres: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $505 in Isla Mujeres. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $38.00 in Isla Mujeres for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $251 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 Isla Mujeres: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Isla Mujeres differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $1,108 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $1,662 in Isla Mujeres 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: $482 in Medellin versus $505 in Isla Mujeres. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Isla Mujeres. 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 $1,108 in Isla Mujeres – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,108 in Isla Mujeres, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Isla Mujeres. 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 Isla Mujeres 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 9% less than in Isla Mujeres. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.