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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,013 in Mexicali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,623 in Mexicali, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,233 in Mexicali, rent included.

Medellin costs about 66% more than Mexicali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Mexicali is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$12.27 MX$211

-34.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$36.79 MX$631

30.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$7.21 MX$124

37.17%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$3.59 MX$61.7

-12.81%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$1.43 MX$24.54

33.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$1.15 MX$19.78

31.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$3.59 MX$61.6

-13.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$4.39 MX$75.4

30.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.33 MX$22.80

8.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$2.51 MX$43.07

-0.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.58 MX$27.05

12.03%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.97 MX$51.0

-0.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$2.66 MX$45.64

278.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$6.32 MX$108

60.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$7.09 MX$122

101.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$1.70 MX$29.17

143.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.45 MX$24.82

11.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$1.44 MX$24.74

56.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.72 MX$29.50

30.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.44 MX$24.65

41.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.48 MX$25.47

4.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.49 MX$25.64

-21.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.84 MX$14.42

55.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$4.29 MX$73.6

-9.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$8.61 MX$148

62.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$2.15 MX$36.92

-19.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$4.11 MX$70.5

-30.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$1.06 MX$18.18

15.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$37.27 MX$640

115.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$3.12 MX$53.5

-58.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$2.28 MX$39.08

-3.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$20.61 MX$354

-57.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.44 MX$24.69

-4.86%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$22.4K MX$383.8K

24.51%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$25.9K MX$445.2K

37.93%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$49.43 MX$848

258.69%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$24.18 MX$415

-42.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$31.05 MX$533

-4.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$40.21 MX$690

11.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$17.47 MX$300

-2.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$4.50 MX$77.3

47.78%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$218 MX$3,739

273.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$4,972 MX$85.3K

84.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$36.17 MX$621

147.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$34.94 MX$600

68.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$82.0 MX$1,407

68.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$41.46 MX$712

146.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$1,040 MX$17.8K

2.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$286 MX$4,910

131.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$1,454 MX$25.0K

29.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$585 MX$10.0K

75.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$2,784 MX$47.8K

50.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,572 MX$27.0K

6.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$904 MX$15.5K

-25.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

12.07

-9.36%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mexicali: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,040 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 33% higher in Mexicali, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $37.00 in Mexicali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $208 – 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 66%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,520 in Mexicali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexicali, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $37.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $1,013 in Mexicali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexicali, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Mexicali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mexicali – 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 Mexicali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.