Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mexicali Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mexicali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,070 in Mexicali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,608 in Mexicali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,145 in Mexicali, rent included.

Medellin is about 6% cheaper than Mexicali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Mexicali are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Mexicali 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$12.25 MX$214

-51.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$32.11 MX$560

2.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$6.33 MX$110

17.38%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$2.59 MX$45.11

-36.29%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$1.16 MX$20.29

-5.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.91 MX$15.89

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$1.35 MX$23.48

27.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$4.06 MX$70.8

-21.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.21 MX$21.11

-9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$2.29 MX$40.01

-44.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.42 MX$24.84

-2.82%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$2.62 MX$45.73

-16.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$2.34 MX$40.74

91.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$5.81 MX$101

-0.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$6.45 MX$113

39.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$1.56 MX$27.12

48.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.30 MX$22.60

-18.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.30 MX$22.72

16.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.55 MX$26.95

-12.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$1.34 MX$23.31

-15.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.36 MX$23.68

-13.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$1.11 MX$19.36

-18.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.77 MX$13.36

16.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$4.00 MX$69.8

-44.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$8.75 MX$153

38.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.88 MX$32.84

-36.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$3.33 MX$58.0

-25.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.99 MX$17.31

-14.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$33.27 MX$580

25.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$2.72 MX$47.45

-47.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$1.62 MX$28.18

20.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$3.23 MX$56.4

144.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.25 MX$21.78

-20.80%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$22.8K MX$398.1K

-22.88%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$20.7K MX$361.9K

29.15%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$56.6 MX$987

46.63%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$22.56 MX$393

-57.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$30.81 MX$537

-23.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$38.65 MX$674

-34.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$15.64 MX$273

22.12%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$3.93 MX$68.5

0.51%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$203 MX$3,537

55.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$2,755 MX$48.1K

116.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$26.28 MX$458

128.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$31.22 MX$544

1.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$73.7 MX$1,285

37.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$68.7 MX$1,198

56.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$639 MX$11.1K

-25.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$397 MX$6,921

-5.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$1,185 MX$20.7K

-28.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$670 MX$11.7K

7.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$2,823 MX$49.2K

15.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$1,552 MX$27.1K

-7.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$914 MX$15.9K

-31.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.5

16.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mexicali: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $639 in Mexicali. 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 46% higher in Mexicali, 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 $32.00 in Mexicali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $189 – making Mexicali 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 Mexicali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexicali is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,605 in Mexicali. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $32.00 in Mexicali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $1,070 in Mexicali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Mexicali at $1,070. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexicali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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