Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mazatlan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mazatlan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,631 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $2,235 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,838 in Mazatlan, rent included.

Medellin is about 39% cheaper than Mazatlan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 25% below the global median, while Mazatlan is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$10.44 MX$181

-43.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$44.32 MX$767

-25.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$8.39 MX$145

-11.44%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$3.41 MX$59.0

-51.61%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.38 MX$23.94

-20.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$1.05 MX$18.14

-25.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.92 MX$33.27

-10.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.60 MX$44.92

22.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.48 MX$25.53

-25.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$2.62 MX$45.39

-51.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.11 MX$36.52

-34.60%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.31 MX$39.94

-5.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$7.76 MX$134

-42.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.64 MX$115

-12.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$7.36 MX$127

21.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.57 MX$44.41

-9.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.61 MX$27.92

-34.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.72 MX$29.71

-11.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.78 MX$13.57

74.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.20 MX$38.14

-48.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.55 MX$44.18

-54.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.21 MX$20.98

-25.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.08 MX$18.76

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.99 MX$69.1

-44.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$16.19 MX$280

-25.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.04 MX$35.24

-41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$3.08 MX$53.3

-19.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.67 MX$11.60

26.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$40.26 MX$697

3.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$3.50 MX$60.5

-59.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.83 MX$31.58

6.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$8.38 MX$145

-5.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.30 MX$22.55

-23.85%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$21.4K MX$370.4K

-17.77%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$22.6K MX$391.9K

18.31%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$56.5 MX$978

46.92%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$20.70 MX$358

-53.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$40.52 MX$701

-41.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$43.14 MX$746

-41.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$15.62 MX$270

22.28%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.91 MX$67.7

1.02%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$83.5 MX$1,445

278.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$1,911 MX$33.1K

212.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$62.5 MX$1,082

-4.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$26.46 MX$458

20.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$105 MX$1,820

-3.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$78.0 MX$1,349

37.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$869 MX$15.0K

-45.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$891 MX$15.4K

-58.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$1,395 MX$24.1K

-39.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$1,075 MX$18.6K

-33.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,662 MX$28.8K

96.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,067 MX$18.5K

35.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$566 MX$9,785

10.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.33

18.53%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mazatlan: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $869 in Mazatlan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 10% higher in Medellin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $44.00 in Mazatlan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $249 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Mazatlan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,003 in Medellin, $1,631 in Mazatlan – roughly 63% apart. Mazatlan costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $2,447 in Mazatlan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Medellin and $83.5 in Mazatlan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Mazatlan at $1,631. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mazatlan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,003 in Medellin to $1,631 in Mazatlan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mazatlan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.