Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Los Cabos Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Los Cabos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,106 in Los Cabos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,747 in Los Cabos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $2,389 in Los Cabos.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Los Cabos 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$10.62 MX$182

-43.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$38.93 MX$668

-14.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.98 MX$137

-9.40%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.38 MX$58.1

-51.78%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.25 MX$21.40

-12.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.90 MX$15.37

-18.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.44 MX$41.91

-28.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.89 MX$66.8

-16.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.49 MX$25.52

-29.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$2.54 MX$43.63

-49.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.62 MX$27.86

-18.52%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.30 MX$39.56

-1.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.16 MX$140

-46.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$7.74 MX$133

-24.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$10.73 MX$184

-19.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.65 MX$45.55

-15.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.43 MX$24.55

-25.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.71 MX$29.32

-11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.64 MX$28.21

-13.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.93 MX$33.10

-39.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.93 MX$33.17

-39.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.21 MX$20.76

-26.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.98 MX$16.82

-8.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.28 MX$73.5

-47.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$10.90 MX$187

1.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.59 MX$27.37

-28.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.78 MX$47.75

-14.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.61 MX$10.51

37.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$2.54 MX$43.68

-44.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.61 MX$27.59

18.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$8.14 MX$140

-4.79%

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

$21.5K MX$368.8K

-18.18%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$22.4K MX$384.6K

18.25%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$56.3 MX$966

48.74%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$22.01 MX$378

-57.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$28.40 MX$487

-15.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$36.36 MX$624

-30.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$15.88 MX$273

20.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.53 MX$77.8

-9.49%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$206 MX$3,543

51.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$3,530 MX$60.6K

69.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$53.4 MX$917

8.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$39.34 MX$675

-17.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$89.7 MX$1,540

11.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$78.0 MX$1,339

39.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$512 MX$8,790

-5.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$396 MX$6,794

-4.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$950 MX$16.3K

-11.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$769 MX$13.2K

-6.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,973 MX$33.9K

43.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,269 MX$21.8K

-3.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$874 MX$15.0K

-38.13%

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 Los Cabos: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $512 in Los Cabos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Los Cabos pays 62% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $39.00 in Los Cabos 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 Los Cabos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Los Cabos earns 62% 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 $512 in Los Cabos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Los Cabos. 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 $1,106 in Los Cabos – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,106 in Los Cabos, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Los Cabos. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Los Cabos. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.