Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Oaxaca de Juarez Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Oaxaca de Juarez

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,054 in Oaxaca de Juarez, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,618 in Oaxaca de Juarez, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,183 in Oaxaca de Juarez, rent included.

Medellin is about 5% cheaper than Oaxaca de Juarez, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Oaxaca de Juarez are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Oaxaca de Juarez 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$5.75 MX$99.5

2.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$26.97 MX$467

22.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$8.16 MX$141

-8.95%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.68 MX$46.30

-38.43%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.24 MX$21.40

-11.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.74 MX$12.81

5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.27 MX$39.36

-24.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.50 MX$60.5

-9.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.30 MX$22.44

-15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$2.69 MX$46.55

-53.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.04 MX$18.03

32.69%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.61 MX$27.89

35.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.36 MX$110

-29.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.81 MX$83.3

20.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$10.97 MX$190

-18.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.14 MX$37.09

8.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.17 MX$20.26

-9.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.63 MX$28.23

-6.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.54 MX$9.37

151.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.12 MX$36.74

-46.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.81 MX$31.31

-35.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.04 MX$18.00

-13.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.80 MX$13.78

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$4.18 MX$72.4

-46.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$10.05 MX$174

20.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.30 MX$22.56

-8.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.86 MX$49.42

-13.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.55 MX$9.47

54.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$2.65 MX$45.82

-46.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$2.46 MX$42.53

-20.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$10.60 MX$183

-25.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.23 MX$21.34

-19.51%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$22.6K MX$391.6K

-22.24%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$24.2K MX$418.6K

10.77%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$68.7 MX$1,189

20.81%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$10.76 MX$186

-9.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$24.26 MX$420

-3.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$31.31 MX$542

-19.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$15.86 MX$274

20.43%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.36 MX$92.8

-26.31%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$374 MX$6,468

-15.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$3,630 MX$62.8K

64.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$38.69 MX$669

55.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$60.4 MX$1,045

-47.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$65.2 MX$1,127

56.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$102 MX$1,756

5.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$594 MX$10.3K

-20.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$429 MX$7,422

-12.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$1,049 MX$18.2K

-19.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$857 MX$14.8K

-16.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Oaxaca de Juarez: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $594 in Oaxaca de Juarez. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in Oaxaca de Juarez. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $210 in Oaxaca de Juarez – 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 Oaxaca de Juarez: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Oaxaca de Juarez is pricier by about 5%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,580 in Oaxaca de Juarez. 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 $27.00 in Oaxaca de Juarez. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Oaxaca de Juarez, 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Oaxaca de Juarez at $1,054. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Oaxaca de Juarez 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.

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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Oaxaca de Juarez makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.