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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,199 in Morelia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,900 in Morelia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,601 in Morelia, rent included.

Medellin costs about 43% more than Morelia, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Morelia is 13% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$7.61 MX$128

5.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$41.28 MX$697

16.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$6.37 MX$108

53.38%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$3.65 MX$61.7

-20.27%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$1.26 MX$21.30

53.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$1.24 MX$20.89

22.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$2.92 MX$49.20

5.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$4.15 MX$70.0

38.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.92 MX$32.36

-29.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$2.70 MX$45.60

-11.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$1.80 MX$30.46

-5.56%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$2.60 MX$43.90

10.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$10.45 MX$176

-4.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$10.20 MX$172

5.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$12.21 MX$206

20.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$2.98 MX$50.4

37.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.77 MX$29.93

-11.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$2.09 MX$35.24

1.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$1.96 MX$33.12

12.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$2.08 MX$35.02

-1.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$1.96 MX$33.03

-23.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$1.54 MX$25.91

-22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$1.19 MX$20.11

-2.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.05 MX$68.3

-3.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$11.29 MX$191

27.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.95 MX$32.99

-18.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$3.59 MX$60.6

-21.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.67 MX$11.33

74.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$26.06 MX$440

198.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$1.50 MX$25.31

-14.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$1.16 MX$19.64

80.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$6.05 MX$102

42.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.56 MX$26.28

-16.67%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$22.5K MX$380.1K

22.79%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$25.5K MX$431.1K

39.01%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$53.4 MX$901

229.97%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$23.96 MX$404

-44.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$32.67 MX$551

-8.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$56.3 MX$951

-20.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

$29.62 MX$500

-42.40%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$4.62 MX$78.0

34.20%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$233 MX$3,930

240.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$3,063 MX$51.7K

194.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$60.7 MX$1,025

41.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$41.41 MX$699

41.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$116 MX$1,960

17.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$93.9 MX$1,584

9.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$377 MX$6,366

180.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$374 MX$6,318

81.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$991 MX$16.7K

103.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$756 MX$12.8K

54.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$1,768 MX$29.8K

132.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$696 MX$11.7K

144.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$699 MX$11.8K

-4.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

10.53

3.89%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Morelia: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $377 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 5% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $41.00 in Morelia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $297 – making Morelia 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 Morelia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 43%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,799 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $41.00 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 $1,716 in Medellin and $1,199 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 $1,199, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.