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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,067 in Mexicali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,615 in Mexicali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,162 in Mexicali, rent included.

Medellin is about 5% cheaper than Mexicali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Mexicali are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Mexicali 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$12.22 MX$210

-51.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$32.02 MX$550

4.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.52 MX$112

10.89%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.65 MX$45.54

-38.49%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.14 MX$19.60

-4.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.91 MX$15.56

-19.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.36 MX$23.33

27.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$4.04 MX$69.3

-20.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.17 MX$20.01

-10.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$2.19 MX$37.66

-41.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.41 MX$24.24

-6.38%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.63 MX$45.21

-13.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$2.45 MX$42.07

77.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.90 MX$101

-0.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$6.47 MX$111

33.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.58 MX$27.03

42.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.30 MX$22.35

-17.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.35 MX$23.20

12.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.56 MX$26.79

-8.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.36 MX$23.32

-13.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.30 MX$22.38

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.09 MX$18.71

-18.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.83 MX$14.19

8.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.98 MX$68.2

-43.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.64 MX$148

27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.93 MX$33.19

-40.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.37 MX$57.9

-29.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.02 MX$17.54

-17.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$33.19 MX$570

26.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$2.77 MX$47.49

-49.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.61 MX$27.68

18.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$3.08 MX$52.8

151.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.25 MX$21.50

-19.20%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$23.3K MX$399.6K

-24.49%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.5K MX$351.9K

29.21%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$55.6 MX$954

50.56%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$22.51 MX$386

-58.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$30.67 MX$526

-21.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$37.86 MX$650

-33.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$16.05 MX$275

19.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$3.91 MX$67.0

4.86%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$209 MX$3,596

48.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$2,766 MX$47.5K

116.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$26.76 MX$459

116.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$32.08 MX$551

1.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$73.2 MX$1,257

36.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$69.4 MX$1,191

56.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$627 MX$10.8K

-23.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$393 MX$6,746

-3.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,203 MX$20.7K

-30.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$656 MX$11.3K

10.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,826 MX$48.5K

0.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,543 MX$26.5K

-20.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$918 MX$15.8K

-41.07%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mexicali: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $627 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 70% 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. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $190 in Mexicali – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 5%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,600 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $1,067 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 $1,017, than in Mexicali at $1,067. 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.