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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $876 in Pachuca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,437 in Pachuca, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,997 in Pachuca, rent included.

Medellin costs about 16% more than Pachuca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Pachuca are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Pachuca 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.79 MX$83.0

25.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$24.63 MX$427

33.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.75 MX$134

-8.52%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.85 MX$49.40

-40.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.14 MX$19.79

-3.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.76 MX$13.21

2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.55 MX$26.87

8.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$3.24 MX$56.1

-5.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.43 MX$24.79

-23.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$2.88 MX$49.93

-56.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.83 MX$31.64

-24.59%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.51 MX$43.57

-12.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.25 MX$126

-39.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.44 MX$76.9

26.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$7.42 MX$129

19.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.93 MX$33.46

21.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.26 MX$21.77

-15.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.46 MX$25.36

2.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.62 MX$28.14

-14.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.46 MX$25.37

-21.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.25 MX$21.74

-7.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.89 MX$15.46

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.98 MX$17.01

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$4.24 MX$73.5

-46.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$8.60 MX$149

23.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.29 MX$22.39

-6.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.51 MX$43.46

-1.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.58 MX$10.07

48.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$26.08 MX$452

58.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$2.55 MX$44.19

-42.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.24 MX$21.49

58.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$7.92 MX$137

-2.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.32 MX$22.81

-28.03%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$18.5K MX$320.4K

-1.95%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$21.1K MX$365.8K

25.48%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$52.2 MX$904

57.69%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$17.38 MX$301

-45.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$22.62 MX$392

7.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$23.36 MX$405

10.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$10.41 MX$180

82.52%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.60 MX$79.7

-14.57%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$161 MX$2,795

91.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,066 MX$53.1K

94.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$53.2 MX$922

10.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$40.42 MX$700

-19.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$94.4 MX$1,636

8.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$75.1 MX$1,301

44.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$385 MX$6,664

23.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$266 MX$4,607

42.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$726 MX$12.6K

15.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$668 MX$11.6K

8.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$770 MX$13.3K

262.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$676 MX$11.7K

79.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$695 MX$12.0K

-26.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.75

24.93%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Pachuca: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $385 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 36% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Pachuca. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $209 in Pachuca – 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 Pachuca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 16%, 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 $1,314 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $25.00 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $876 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 $876, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.