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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $1,637 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $2,241 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $2,845 in Mazatlan, rent included.

Medellin is about 37% cheaper than Mazatlan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$10.66 MX$185

-43.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$44.24 MX$768

-25.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$7.97 MX$138

-6.90%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$3.26 MX$56.6

-49.39%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$1.42 MX$24.68

-24.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$1.09 MX$18.87

-30.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$2.04 MX$35.34

-15.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$2.56 MX$44.45

25.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$1.42 MX$24.59

-26.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$2.63 MX$45.65

-50.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$2.13 MX$37.04

-37.09%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$2.28 MX$39.65

-3.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$7.94 MX$138

-44.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$6.42 MX$112

-11.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$7.39 MX$128

15.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$2.59 MX$44.87

-9.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$1.58 MX$27.41

-29.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$1.78 MX$30.94

-14.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$0.80 MX$13.91

71.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$2.26 MX$39.15

-49.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$2.54 MX$44.00

-53.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$1.21 MX$20.99

-30.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$1.07 MX$18.58

-19.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$3.87 MX$67.1

-41.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$16.26 MX$282

-28.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$1.94 MX$33.67

-38.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$3.10 MX$53.8

-20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

$0.72 MX$12.49

9.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

$40.43 MX$702

0.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$3.38 MX$58.7

-56.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$1.85 MX$32.08

3.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$8.42 MX$146

-7.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$1.30 MX$22.64

-22.31%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$21.3K MX$370.3K

-17.24%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$22.6K MX$391.4K

17.31%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$54.9 MX$952

47.83%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$21.13 MX$367

-55.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$41.00 MX$711

-41.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

$42.69 MX$741

-39.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

$16.12 MX$280

16.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$4.05 MX$70.3

0.99%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$85.1 MX$1,476

269.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$1,899 MX$33.0K

217.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$61.8 MX$1,073

-3.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$26.55 MX$461

20.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$105 MX$1,822

-3.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$78.5 MX$1,363

33.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$888 MX$15.4K

-45.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$886 MX$15.4K

-58.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$1,410 MX$24.5K

-41.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$1,084 MX$18.8K

-32.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$1,692 MX$29.4K

76.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$1,091 MX$18.9K

20.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$568 MX$9,857

-3.03%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Mazatlan: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $888 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 3% higher in Mazatlan, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $44.00 in Mazatlan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $248 – 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: $1,028 in Medellin, $1,637 in Mazatlan – roughly 59% apart. Mazatlan costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $2,455 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 1% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $315 per month in Medellin and $85.1 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 $1,028, than in Mazatlan at $1,637. 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 $1,028 in Medellin to $1,637 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.