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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,120 in Isla Mujeres.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,752 in Isla Mujeres.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $2,385 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 23% lower, Isla Mujeres 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$10.69 MX$187

-44.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$39.09 MX$684

-16.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.70 MX$135

-6.49%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.33 MX$58.3

-48.95%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.29 MX$22.52

-14.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.93 MX$16.22

-22.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.18 MX$38.15

-23.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.98 MX$69.6

-22.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.45 MX$25.32

-26.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.52 MX$44.14

-50.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.61 MX$28.14

-13.66%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.32 MX$40.52

-2.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.18 MX$143

-47.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$7.66 MX$134

-23.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.75 MX$188

-17.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.61 MX$45.69

-14.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.44 MX$25.24

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.77 MX$30.99

-13.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.71 MX$29.88

-19.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.94 MX$33.87

-41.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.94 MX$33.94

-42.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.26 MX$22.09

-32.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.98 MX$17.21

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.20 MX$73.6

-44.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$11.04 MX$193

0.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.55 MX$27.14

-23.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.84 MX$49.72

-16.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.61 MX$10.67

29.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$2.54 MX$44.45

-43.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.60 MX$28.08

19.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$8.44 MX$148

-4.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.32 MX$23.12

-28.79%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$21.0K MX$366.8K

-14.49%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$22.7K MX$398.0K

17.80%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$56.6 MX$990

48.39%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$21.76 MX$381

-55.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$27.70 MX$485

-12.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$36.45 MX$638

-29.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$15.92 MX$279

19.60%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.75 MX$83.2

-17.47%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$210 MX$3,678

45.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$3,644 MX$63.8K

62.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$52.5 MX$918

10.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$40.43 MX$708

-21.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$91.9 MX$1,609

8.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$77.8 MX$1,362

37.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$509 MX$8,905

-4.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$397 MX$6,949

-7.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$954 MX$16.7K

-13.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$757 MX$13.3K

-5.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,788 MX$31.3K

63.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,158 MX$20.3K

21.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Isla Mujeres: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $509 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 $190 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 8% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $1,120 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $1,680 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: $487 in Medellin versus $509 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 $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $1,120 in Isla Mujeres – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,120 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 8% less than in Isla Mujeres. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.