Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Miguel Hidalgo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Miguel Hidalgo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,210 in Miguel Hidalgo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $2,098 in Miguel Hidalgo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,985 in Miguel Hidalgo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 36% more than Miguel Hidalgo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Miguel Hidalgo is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$11.58 MX$196

-30.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$92.4 MX$1,568

-47.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$9.35 MX$159

0.75%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$3.82 MX$64.8

-23.04%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.45 MX$24.56

28.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$1.10 MX$18.64

32.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.57 MX$43.55

24.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$6.64 MX$113

-14.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.73 MX$29.32

-16.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$2.90 MX$49.28

-17.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.80 MX$30.51

-5.56%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.55 MX$43.33

13.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$8.84 MX$150

13.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$9.88 MX$168

0.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$12.14 MX$206

16.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.87 MX$48.65

38.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.67 MX$28.26

-5.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$2.04 MX$34.67

5.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.98 MX$33.67

16.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$2.07 MX$35.13

-3.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.97 MX$33.49

-23.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$1.46 MX$24.75

-17.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.16 MX$19.72

10.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$4.57 MX$77.5

-15.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$11.58 MX$196

20.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.93 MX$32.79

-11.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$3.29 MX$55.9

-16.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.68 MX$11.53

83.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$2.77 MX$47.06

-52.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$2.08 MX$35.33

4.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$11.96 MX$203

-30.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.56 MX$26.49

-12.82%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$23.2K MX$393.3K

18.51%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$26.0K MX$440.4K

40.75%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$33.58 MX$570

402.44%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$23.57 MX$400

-42.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$33.60 MX$570

-15.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$49.35 MX$837

-7.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$21.65 MX$367

-20.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$5.48 MX$93.0

21.35%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$251 MX$4,253

220.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$4,987 MX$84.6K

84.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$78.9 MX$1,339

10.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$44.46 MX$754

33.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$99.7 MX$1,691

39.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$91.2 MX$1,547

11.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$646 MX$11.0K

65.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$418 MX$7,083

56.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,099 MX$18.6K

75.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$830 MX$14.1K

26.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$2,004 MX$34.0K

105.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,227 MX$20.8K

38.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$598 MX$10.1K

9.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

11.3

-3.19%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Miguel Hidalgo: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $646 in Miguel Hidalgo. 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 10% higher in Medellin, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $92.0 in Miguel Hidalgo. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Medellin vs $288 in Miguel Hidalgo – so Miguel Hidalgo 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 Miguel Hidalgo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 36%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,815 in Miguel Hidalgo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Miguel Hidalgo, 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 $92.0 in Miguel Hidalgo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Miguel Hidalgo, where all-in costs run around $1,210, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Miguel Hidalgo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Miguel Hidalgo – 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 Miguel Hidalgo. 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.