Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pachuca Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pachuca

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $939 in Pachuca, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,567 in Pachuca, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,196 in Pachuca, rent included.

Medellin costs about 79% more than Pachuca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Pachuca is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$5.09 MX$87.8

57.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$27.34 MX$471

75.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$8.63 MX$149

14.60%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.25 MX$56.0

-3.69%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.27 MX$21.82

50.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.89 MX$15.38

69.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.71 MX$29.45

82.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.41 MX$58.8

68.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.59 MX$27.48

-9.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.84 MX$48.92

-12.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.99 MX$34.35

-11.06%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.81 MX$48.50

5.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$7.66 MX$132

31.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$5.02 MX$86.6

101.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$8.26 MX$142

73.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.15 MX$37.08

92.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.37 MX$23.69

17.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.65 MX$28.37

36.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.76 MX$30.41

27.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.63 MX$28.11

25.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.38 MX$23.83

11.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.93 MX$16.10

25.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.01 MX$17.40

29.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.55 MX$78.4

-14.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$8.91 MX$154

57.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.47 MX$25.37

18.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.73 MX$47.15

5.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.62 MX$10.76

96.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$29.61 MX$511

171.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$2.85 MX$49.13

-54.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$3.45 MX$59.5

-36.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$11.60 MX$200

-24.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.44 MX$24.87

-4.86%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$23.3K MX$401.3K

19.61%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$24.9K MX$430.0K

43.44%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$44.47 MX$767

298.70%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$17.00 MX$293

-18.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$24.08 MX$415

23.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$25.37 MX$437

76.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$11.78 MX$203

45.33%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$4.80 MX$82.7

38.54%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$177 MX$3,052

359.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$2,842 MX$49.0K

223.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$58.8 MX$1,013

52.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$43.48 MX$750

35.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$104 MX$1,787

33.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$83.3 MX$1,435

22.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$432 MX$7,448

145.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$293 MX$5,053

126.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$650 MX$11.2K

190.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$742 MX$12.8K

38.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$799 MX$13.8K

423.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$694 MX$12.0K

141.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$695 MX$12.0K

-2.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

10.8

1.30%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Pachuca: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $432 in Pachuca. 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 3% higher in Pachuca, 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 $27.00 in Pachuca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $225 – making Pachuca 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 Pachuca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 79%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,408 in Pachuca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pachuca, 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 $27.00 in Pachuca. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $939 in Pachuca. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Pachuca, where all-in costs run around $939, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Pachuca it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pachuca – 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 Pachuca. 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.