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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $944 in Morelia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,509 in Morelia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,075 in Morelia, rent included.

Medellin costs about 7% more than Morelia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Morelia are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Morelia 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.5K

$7.54 MX$132

-20.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 118.1K

$32.36 MX$565

1.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.5K

$6.51 MX$114

8.91%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,154

$3.26 MX$57.0

-47.55%

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

$1.10 COP 3,949

$0.96 MX$16.84

14.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,798

$1.11 MX$19.46

-29.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 6,035

$2.07 MX$36.11

-18.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.78 MX$66.1

-18.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,930

$1.66 MX$28.93

-34.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,536

$2.68 MX$46.79

-52.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,953

$1.63 MX$28.43

-15.34%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,876

$2.61 MX$45.54

-16.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.8K

$7.18 MX$125

-38.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.2K

$8.23 MX$144

-31.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 32.0K

$11.32 MX$198

-21.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,401

$2.91 MX$50.8

-19.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,801

$1.40 MX$24.43

-24.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,408

$1.39 MX$24.26

7.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,955

$2.04 MX$35.71

-32.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,137

$2.15 MX$37.54

-46.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,181

$2.25 MX$39.21

-48.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,202

$1.13 MX$19.80

-21.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 3,016

$1.13 MX$19.70

-25.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,196

$2.91 MX$50.9

-21.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.2K

$11.09 MX$194

-4.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,311

$1.55 MX$27.14

-22.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,880

$2.09 MX$36.46

18.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,075

$0.54 MX$9.45

59.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 148.8K

$23.94 MX$418

72.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,297

$1.39 MX$24.25

5.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,053

$1.60 MX$27.98

22.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.8K

$5.25 MX$91.7

47.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,430

$1.28 MX$22.31

-25.78%

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

$18.1K COP 65.2M

$13.3K MX$232.6K

36.11%

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

$26.5K COP 95.2M

$15.8K MX$276.4K

67.38%

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

$82.3 COP 295.6K

$40.57 MX$709

102.74%

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

$9.50 COP 34.1K

$20.61 MX$360

-53.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 87.1K

$28.18 MX$492

-14.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 93.0K

$51.2 MX$894

-49.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 68.3K

$14.78 MX$258

28.55%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.1K

$4.16 MX$72.7

-5.53%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$184 MX$3,205

68.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.4M

$3,234 MX$56.5K

84.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 210.8K

$43.96 MX$768

33.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 116.2K

$30.43 MX$531

6.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 368.7K

$82.9 MX$1,448

23.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 389.6K

$107 MX$1,860

1.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$339 MX$5,912

40.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$230 MX$4,022

64.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,013 MX$17.7K

-17.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$476 MX$8,315

52.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,721 MX$30.1K

62.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.4M

$685 MX$12.0K

76.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$693 MX$12.1K

-26.19%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Morelia: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $339 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 35% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $32.00 in Morelia. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $259 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 7%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,416 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 $1,013 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 $1,013. 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.