🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,177 in Manzanillo.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,834 in Manzanillo.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $2,491 in Manzanillo.
🙂Living in Medellin costs roughly 12% less than in Manzanillo, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin23% lower, Manzanillo12% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Manzanillo
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92COP 21.4K
$10.79MX$189
-45.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.75COP 118.2K
$35.50MX$621
-7.75%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.20COP 26.0K
$11.04MX$193
-34.78%
Cappuccino
$1.70COP 6,140
$3.00MX$52.5
-43.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,966
$1.21MX$21.22
-9.09%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72COP 2,605
$1.24MX$21.68
-41.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.67COP 6,022
$2.14MX$37.43
-21.96%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10COP 11.2K
$3.76MX$65.8
-17.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Manzanillo
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06COP 3,809
$1.33MX$23.35
-20.30%
White Bread(500g)
$1.25COP 4,497
$2.47MX$43.31
-49.39%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.39COP 5,022
$1.32MX$23.02
5.30%
Eggs
$2.26COP 8,168
$2.06MX$36.07
9.71%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.33COP 15.6K
$6.63MX$116
-34.69%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.84COP 21.1K
$5.14MX$89.9
13.62%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.83COP 31.9K
$9.27MX$162
-4.75%
Apples(1kg)
$2.24COP 8,099
$2.44MX$42.69
-8.20%
Banana(1kg)
$1.08COP 3,882
$1.42MX$24.87
-23.94%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53COP 5,522
$1.53MX$26.81
-
Tomato(1kg)
$1.37COP 4,950
$1.61MX$28.25
-14.91%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 4,078
$2.37MX$41.42
-52.32%
Onion(1kg)
$1.12COP 4,036
$2.83MX$49.48
-60.42%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.85COP 3,057
$2.04MX$35.74
-58.33%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91COP 3,281
$1.17MX$20.55
-22.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33COP 8,414
$5.10MX$89.3
-54.31%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.13COP 40.2K
$7.06MX$124
57.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 4,309
$2.45MX$42.91
-51.43%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37COP 8,553
$2.54MX$44.42
-6.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Manzanillo
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.79COP 2,838
$0.56MX$9.73
41.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.13COP 148.5K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.44COP 5,184
$2.36MX$41.37
-38.98%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.91COP 6,901
$1.58MX$27.67
20.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.02COP 28.9K
$8.15MX$143
-1.60%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.94COP 3,385
$1.27MX$22.19
-25.98%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9KCOP 64.7M
$20.6KMX$360.4K
-12.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 96.7M
$23.4KMX$408.9K
14.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Manzanillo
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0COP 303.1K
$124MX$2,165
-32.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.60COP 34.7K
$15.89MX$278
-39.58%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.16COP 87.2K
$24.37MX$426
-0.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Manzanillo
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.88COP 93.4K
$29.11MX$509
-11.10%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04COP 68.7K
$15.81MX$277
20.43%
Cinema Ticket
$3.92COP 14.1K
$3.85MX$67.4
1.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Manzanillo
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306COP 1.1M
$53.1MX$929
476.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,919COP 21.4M
$3,556MX$62.2K
66.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Manzanillo
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9COP 209.1K
$48.80MX$854
18.67%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 114.9K
$28.13MX$492
13.12%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.9COP 360.6K
$122MX$2,128
-17.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 386.8K
$128MX$2,241
-16.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Manzanillo
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$487COP 1.8M
$713MX$12.5K
-31.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$368COP 1.3M
$407MX$7,118
-9.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$826COP 3.0M
$934MX$16.3K
-11.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$716COP 2.6M
$768MX$13.4K
-6.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,925COP 10.6M
$1,704MX$29.8K
71.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,407COP 5.1M
$1,252MX$21.9K
12.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Manzanillo
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$546COP 2.0M
$398MX$6,967
37.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
11.07
21.32%
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 Manzanillo: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $713 in Manzanillo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Medellin pays 37% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $35.00 in Manzanillo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $226 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 Manzanillo: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Medellin and Manzanillo?
Medellin and Manzanillo differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $1,177 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Medellin or Manzanillo?
Medellin pays 37% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Medellin and Manzanillo?
Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $713 in Manzanillo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Manzanillo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Medellin or Manzanillo?
All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $1,177 in Manzanillo – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,177 in Manzanillo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Manzanillo. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Manzanillo?
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.
Where should expats move: Medellin or Manzanillo?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Manzanillo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Medellin vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado