🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,093 in Los Cabos.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,760 in Los Cabos.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $2,427 in Los Cabos.
🙂Living in Medellin costs roughly 5% less than in Los Cabos, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin23% lower, Los Cabos18% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Los Cabos
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92COP 21.5K
$10.62MX$185
-44.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.75COP 119.1K
$39.18MX$682
-16.41%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.20COP 26.2K
$8.06MX$140
-10.67%
Cappuccino
$1.70COP 6,186
$3.29MX$57.2
-48.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,996
$1.23MX$21.44
-10.57%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72COP 2,625
$0.99MX$17.17
-27.27%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.67COP 6,067
$2.41MX$41.95
-30.71%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10COP 11.3K
$3.89MX$67.6
-20.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Los Cabos
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06COP 3,837
$1.50MX$26.08
-29.33%
White Bread(500g)
$1.25COP 4,531
$2.60MX$45.24
-51.92%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.39COP 5,060
$1.63MX$28.38
-14.72%
Eggs
$2.26COP 8,229
$2.36MX$41.13
-4.24%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.33COP 15.8K
$7.89MX$137
-45.12%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.84COP 21.2K
$7.66MX$133
-23.76%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.83COP 32.1K
$10.55MX$184
-16.30%
Apples(1kg)
$2.24COP 8,159
$2.61MX$45.33
-14.18%
Banana(1kg)
$1.08COP 3,911
$1.38MX$24.00
-21.74%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53COP 5,563
$1.80MX$31.29
-15.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.37COP 4,987
$1.64MX$28.58
-16.46%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 4,109
$1.92MX$33.49
-41.15%
Onion(1kg)
$1.12COP 4,067
$1.94MX$33.71
-42.27%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.85COP 3,080
$1.19MX$20.77
-28.57%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91COP 3,305
$1.01MX$17.66
-9.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33COP 8,477
$4.26MX$74.2
-45.31%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.13COP 40.5K
$11.01MX$192
1.09%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 4,342
$1.59MX$27.75
-25.16%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37COP 8,617
$2.76MX$47.94
-14.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Los Cabos
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.79COP 2,859
$0.61MX$10.62
29.51%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.13COP 149.6K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.44COP 5,223
$2.61MX$45.33
-44.83%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.91COP 6,952
$1.59MX$27.75
20.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.02COP 29.2K
$8.21MX$143
-2.31%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.94COP 3,410
$1.32MX$22.93
-28.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9KCOP 65.2M
$21.5KMX$374.2K
-16.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 97.4M
$22.2KMX$385.7K
20.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Los Cabos
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0COP 305.4K
$56.0MX$975
49.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.60COP 34.9K
$22.04MX$383
-56.44%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.16COP 87.9K
$27.65MX$481
-12.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Los Cabos
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.88COP 94.1K
$35.87MX$624
-27.85%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04COP 69.3K
$15.92MX$277
19.60%
Cinema Ticket
$3.92COP 14.2K
$4.52MX$78.7
-13.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Los Cabos
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306COP 1.1M
$205MX$3,572
49.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,919COP 21.5M
$3,627MX$63.1K
63.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Los Cabos
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9COP 210.6K
$52.4MX$912
10.54%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 115.7K
$40.06MX$697
-20.57%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.9COP 363.3K
$91.2MX$1,588
9.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 389.7K
$80.0MX$1,391
34.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Los Cabos
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$487COP 1.8M
$504MX$8,775
-3.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$368COP 1.3M
$394MX$6,857
-6.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$826COP 3.0M
$949MX$16.5K
-13.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$716COP 2.6M
$762MX$13.3K
-5.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,925COP 10.6M
$1,992MX$34.7K
46.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,407COP 5.1M
$1,288MX$22.4K
9.27%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Los Cabos
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$546COP 2.0M
$854MX$14.9K
-36.13%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
11.48
16.99%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Medellin: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Los Cabos: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $504 in Los Cabos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Los Cabos pays 57% 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 $249 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Medellin vs Los Cabos: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Los Cabos cheaper than Medellin?
Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Medellin or Los Cabos?
On paper, Los Cabos earns 57% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Los Cabos?
Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $504 in Los Cabos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and Los Cabos?
Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Los Cabos. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin vs Los Cabos?
All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $1,093 in Los Cabos – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Medellin or Los Cabos?
At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,093 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.
Is Medellin or Los Cabos more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Los Cabos. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Medellin vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado