Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Piedras Negras Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Piedras Negras

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $1,085 in Piedras Negras, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,689 in Piedras Negras, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,293 in Piedras Negras, rent included.

Medellin is about 5% cheaper than Piedras Negras, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Piedras Negras are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Piedras Negras 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$7.80 MX$135

-24.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$23.96 MX$415

38.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$7.99 MX$138

-9.26%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$2.44 MX$42.36

-29.92%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$1.32 MX$22.85

-17.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$0.68 MX$11.72

13.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$1.34 MX$23.25

30.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$2.83 MX$48.99

12.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$1.64 MX$28.38

-35.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$3.12 MX$54.1

-58.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$1.68 MX$29.12

-17.86%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$3.50 MX$60.7

-36.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$9.49 MX$164

-52.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$4.52 MX$78.3

28.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$12.98 MX$225

-30.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$2.60 MX$45.05

-11.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$1.30 MX$22.50

-18.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$1.63 MX$28.21

-7.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$2.15 MX$37.28

-36.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$2.30 MX$39.86

-49.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$1.88 MX$32.56

-37.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$1.16 MX$20.16

-28.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$1.13 MX$19.51

-24.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$4.10 MX$71.0

-42.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$11.06 MX$192

0.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$1.54 MX$26.69

-25.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$3.47 MX$60.2

-28.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$0.97 MX$16.88

-18.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$4.39 MX$76.1

-67.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$1.56 MX$26.95

21.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$8.52 MX$148

-9.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$1.24 MX$21.54

-16.94%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$18.4K MX$318.3K

-3.73%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$24.0K MX$415.6K

12.64%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$57.0 MX$988

42.77%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$17.16 MX$297

-45.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$25.54 MX$443

-6.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$35.99 MX$624

-28.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

$15.65 MX$271

23.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$4.70 MX$81.4

-13.83%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$208 MX$3,596

50.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$3,566 MX$61.8K

70.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$45.18 MX$783

30.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$39.91 MX$692

-17.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$87.9 MX$1,523

14.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$70.8 MX$1,228

50.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$505 MX$8,754

-3.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$400 MX$6,925

-7.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$925 MX$16.0K

-9.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$751 MX$13.0K

-4.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$1,961 MX$34.0K

50.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$1,290 MX$22.4K

8.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

$1,710 MX$29.6K

-68.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.48

16.99%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Last update for Piedras Negras: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $505 in Piedras Negras. 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 221% higher in Piedras Negras, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33 in Medellin versus $24 in Piedras Negras. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $262 in Piedras Negras – 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 Piedras Negras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Piedras Negras is pricier by about 5%, 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 $1,544 per month in Medellin and $1,627 in Piedras Negras. 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 $24.00 in Piedras Negras. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Piedras Negras, 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 $1,030, than in Piedras Negras at $1,085. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Piedras Negras 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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Piedras Negras makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.