Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $998 per month in Medellin vs $1,445 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,580 per month in Medellin vs $2,349 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,162 per month in Medellin vs $3,253 in Mexico City, rent included.

Medellin is about 31% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 26% below the global median, while Mexico City is 7% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.12 COP 22.6K

$13.19 MX$228

-53.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 121.5K

$52.1 MX$899

-36.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.29 COP 27.0K

$9.26 MX$160

-21.27%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 6,090

$3.57 MX$61.6

-53.78%

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

$1.05 COP 3,902

$1.55 MX$26.72

-32.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 COP 2,735

$1.15 MX$19.87

-35.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,420

$3.08 MX$53.2

-43.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.4K

$4.62 MX$79.7

-33.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 COP 3,945

$1.64 MX$28.33

-34.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,823

$2.74 MX$47.33

-52.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 5,123

$1.90 MX$32.74

-27.37%

Eggs

$2.29 COP 8,481

$2.64 MX$45.64

-13.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.53 COP 16.8K

$10.21 MX$176

-55.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.67 COP 21.0K

$8.37 MX$144

-32.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.56 COP 31.7K

$11.62 MX$201

-26.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 COP 8,705

$2.92 MX$50.3

-19.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 4,078

$1.71 MX$29.48

-35.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,666

$1.98 MX$34.09

-22.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 COP 5,216

$2.06 MX$35.50

-31.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,260

$2.07 MX$35.69

-44.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,320

$2.25 MX$38.76

-48.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 3,059

$1.41 MX$24.32

-41.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,325

$1.09 MX$18.78

-17.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.27 COP 8,412

$4.14 MX$71.4

-45.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.15 COP 41.3K

$14.10 MX$243

-20.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,265

$1.75 MX$30.21

-34.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 9,208

$3.69 MX$63.7

-32.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 COP 2,954

$0.39 MX$6.67

105.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.25 COP 152.6K

$19.30 MX$333

113.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 COP 5,520

$1.36 MX$23.53

9.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 7,022

$0.28 MX$4.76

578.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.95 COP 29.4K

$5.31 MX$91.6

49.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,802

$1.34 MX$23.06

-23.13%

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

$18.2K COP 67.2M

$18.7K MX$322.7K

-2.93%

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

$26.5K COP 98.2M

$23.3K MX$402.0K

13.91%

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

$83.7 COP 309.6K

$39.83 MX$688

110.04%

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

$9.71 COP 35.9K

$27.38 MX$473

-64.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.10 COP 89.2K

$29.67 MX$512

-18.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.63 COP 94.8K

$53.6 MX$925

-52.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.30 COP 71.4K

$26.46 MX$457

-27.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 15.1K

$6.21 MX$107

-34.46%

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

$304 COP 1.1M

$427 MX$7,371

-28.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,928 COP 21.9M

$10.7K MX$185.2K

-44.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 COP 218.3K

$57.0 MX$984

3.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.60 COP 120.6K

$45.63 MX$788

-28.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 370.6K

$102 MX$1,754

-1.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 389.2K

$105 MX$1,818

-0.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$489 COP 1.8M

$986 MX$17.0K

-50.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 COP 1.4M

$636 MX$11.0K

-42.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$843 COP 3.1M

$2,110 MX$36.4K

-60.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 COP 2.6M

$1,239 MX$21.4K

-42.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,866 COP 10.6M

$3,785 MX$65.3K

-24.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,265 COP 4.7M

$2,321 MX$40.1K

-45.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$519 COP 1.9M

$1,100 MX$19.0K

-52.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.34

18.43%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 5, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $489 in Medellin versus $986 in Mexico City. 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 112% higher in Mexico City, 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 $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $191 vs $286 – 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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 45%, 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 $1,497 per month in Medellin and $2,167 in Mexico City. 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 $52.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $998 in Medellin and $1,445 in Mexico City. 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 $998, than in Mexico City at $1,445. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City 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.

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