Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Quetzaltenango Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Quetzaltenango

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,110 in Quetzaltenango, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,453 in Quetzaltenango, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,797 in Quetzaltenango, rent included.

Medellin is about 7% cheaper than Quetzaltenango, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Quetzaltenango are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Quetzaltenango 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.95 Q 30.12

55.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$34.24 Q 261

-4.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.02 Q 45.92

21.93%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.48 Q 18.88

-30.65%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.49 Q 3.70

114.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.48 Q 3.63

60.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.37 Q 10.43

23.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.06 Q 15.67

53.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.83 Q 13.93

-42.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.63 Q 20.03

-50.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.04 Q 15.59

-31.37%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$2.20 Q 16.75

-1.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.96 Q 60.7

-44.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.36 Q 48.45

-7.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.23 Q 70.3

-6.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$2.37 Q 18.07

-3.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.50 Q 11.47

-26.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$3.01 Q 22.95

-49.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.02 Q 7.79

32.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.69 Q 12.91

-33.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.97 Q 15.02

-42.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.71 Q 5.40

19.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.19 Q 9.08

-23.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$3.24 Q 24.70

-27.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.26 Q 63.0

49.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.68 Q 12.83

-28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.42 Q 18.41

2.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.27 Q 2.07

211.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$3.69 Q 28.16

-61.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.64 Q 4.88

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.48 Q 49.39

18.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.95 Q 7.21

4.21%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$15.6K Q 119.3K

15.24%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$22.1K Q 168.5K

20.45%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$81.3 Q 620

-0.58%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$12.93 Q 98.6

-23.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$47.81 Q 364

-49.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$32.68 Q 249

-23.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$7.30 Q 55.7

-45.48%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$242 Q 1,846

26.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$5,794 Q 44.2K

4.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$51.0 Q 389

13.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$52.8 Q 402

-38.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$110 Q 841

-8.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$121 Q 926

-11.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$217 Q 1,653

119.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$407 Q 3,101

-7.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$379 Q 2,887

123.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$252 Q 1,919

190.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.69

74.64%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Quetzaltenango: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $217 in Quetzaltenango. 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 $34.00 in Quetzaltenango. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $239 – making Medellin 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 Quetzaltenango: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Quetzaltenango is pricier by about 8%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,665 in Quetzaltenango. 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 $34.00 in Quetzaltenango. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Quetzaltenango, 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 $1,031, than in Quetzaltenango at $1,110. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Quetzaltenango 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, Quetzaltenango makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.