Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Morelia Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Morelia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $944 in Morelia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,501 in Morelia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,059 in Morelia, rent included.

Medellin costs about 9% more than Morelia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Morelia are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Morelia 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$7.26 MX$126

-18.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$31.62 MX$548

4.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$6.18 MX$107

17.31%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$3.22 MX$55.8

-46.89%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$0.89 MX$15.42

22.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$1.16 MX$20.15

-33.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$2.06 MX$35.69

-15.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$3.76 MX$65.1

-15.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$1.66 MX$28.73

-36.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$2.67 MX$46.33

-51.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$1.61 MX$27.88

-14.29%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$2.50 MX$43.29

-11.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$7.23 MX$125

-37.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$8.13 MX$141

-28.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$11.16 MX$193

-19.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$2.97 MX$51.5

-22.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$1.43 MX$24.86

-25.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$1.39 MX$24.03

8.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$2.00 MX$34.60

-32.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$2.04 MX$35.38

-43.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$2.19 MX$38.01

-46.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$1.17 MX$20.22

-29.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$1.08 MX$18.69

-21.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$2.98 MX$51.6

-21.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$11.63 MX$202

-4.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$1.55 MX$26.79

-25.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$2.09 MX$36.23

18.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$0.55 MX$9.47

43.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$23.33 MX$404

79.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$1.36 MX$23.64

5.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$1.54 MX$26.73

23.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$5.15 MX$89.3

49.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$1.32 MX$22.83

-21.97%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$13.2K MX$228.0K

34.40%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$16.2K MX$279.9K

67.28%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$40.62 MX$704

100.44%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$20.53 MX$356

-54.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$28.22 MX$489

-15.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$52.3 MX$906

-50.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

$14.48 MX$251

33.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$4.16 MX$72.1

-2.64%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$183 MX$3,165

71.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$3,136 MX$54.3K

93.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$43.46 MX$753

35.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$30.28 MX$525

8.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$81.9 MX$1,420

22.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$105 MX$1,812

1.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$329 MX$5,710

48.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$229 MX$3,966

61.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,013 MX$17.6K

-17.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$485 MX$8,399

47.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$1,702 MX$29.5K

73.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$679 MX$11.8K

105.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

$714 MX$12.4K

-25.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.25

19.38%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Last update for Morelia: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $329 in Morelia. 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 34% higher in Morelia, 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 $33 in Medellin versus $32 in Morelia. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $258 in Morelia – 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 Morelia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 9%, 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 $1,544 per month in Medellin and $1,417 in Morelia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,030 in Medellin and $944 in Morelia. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Morelia, where all-in costs run around $944, than in Medellin at $1,030. In Morelia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Morelia – 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 Morelia. 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.