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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,113 in Isla Mujeres.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,760 in Isla Mujeres.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,407 in Isla Mujeres.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 10% less than in Isla Mujeres, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Isla Mujeres 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$10.69 MX$185

-44.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$39.03 MX$675

-15.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.73 MX$134

-3.88%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$3.34 MX$57.8

-50.60%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.24 MX$21.50

-11.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.92 MX$15.85

-15.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.23 MX$38.61

-22.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.86 MX$66.9

-17.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.47 MX$25.50

-25.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$2.61 MX$45.21

-51.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.57 MX$27.24

-12.10%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.32 MX$40.09

-6.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$7.85 MX$136

-42.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$7.91 MX$137

-26.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$10.47 MX$181

-14.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.62 MX$45.36

-11.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.38 MX$23.93

-23.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.73 MX$29.91

-12.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.66 MX$28.72

-18.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.89 MX$32.77

-40.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.95 MX$33.79

-40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.26 MX$21.76

-28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.02 MX$17.60

-11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$4.07 MX$70.4

-45.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$10.86 MX$188

11.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.59 MX$27.55

-25.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.73 MX$47.18

-9.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.61 MX$10.52

39.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$2.63 MX$45.55

-46.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.55 MX$26.81

25.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$8.22 MX$142

-4.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.27 MX$21.98

-22.05%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$21.3K MX$369.3K

-17.55%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$22.7K MX$392.2K

18.22%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$57.1 MX$987

45.50%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$21.85 MX$378

-55.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$28.59 MX$495

-17.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$36.73 MX$635

-31.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$15.70 MX$272

21.66%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$4.76 MX$82.3

-17.02%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$206 MX$3,572

52.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$3,560 MX$61.6K

67.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$53.6 MX$928

11.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$39.79 MX$688

-20.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$90.8 MX$1,570

12.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$79.8 MX$1,381

34.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$510 MX$8,824

-6.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$400 MX$6,921

-6.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$952 MX$16.5K

-10.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$759 MX$13.1K

-5.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,734 MX$30.0K

88.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,152 MX$19.9K

25.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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 27, 2026

Last update for Isla Mujeres: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $510 in Isla Mujeres. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $39.00 in Isla Mujeres for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 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 Isla Mujeres: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Isla Mujeres differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $1,113 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $1,669 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: $475 in Medellin versus $510 in Isla Mujeres. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Isla Mujeres. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $1,113 in Isla Mujeres – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,113 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 11% less than in Isla Mujeres. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.