Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Saltillo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Saltillo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,439 in Saltillo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $2,292 in Saltillo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $3,145 in Saltillo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 14% more than Saltillo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Saltillo sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Saltillo by 4%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$11.96 MX$203

-32.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$53.3 MX$905

-9.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$6.91 MX$117

36.32%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$3.73 MX$63.3

-21.18%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.39 MX$23.66

33.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$1.09 MX$18.56

33.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.32 MX$39.43

38.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$4.05 MX$68.7

40.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.56 MX$26.54

-7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$3.72 MX$63.1

-35.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$2.08 MX$35.35

-18.27%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.55 MX$43.23

13.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$11.51 MX$195

-12.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$9.17 MX$156

8.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$10.53 MX$179

34.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.89 MX$49.02

37.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.36 MX$23.15

16.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.87 MX$31.68

14.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$2.13 MX$36.19

7.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$2.43 MX$41.22

-17.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.80 MX$47.52

-46.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$1.36 MX$23.03

-11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.21 MX$20.53

5.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$4.84 MX$82.1

-20.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$11.15 MX$189

25.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.45 MX$41.58

-30.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$1.57 MX$26.58

74.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.91 MX$15.41

37.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$18.00 MX$305

332.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$2.78 MX$47.19

-52.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$2.15 MX$36.44

0.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.60 MX$27.13

-15.00%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$20.5K MX$347.8K

33.98%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$25.8K MX$438.0K

41.51%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$50.8 MX$862

232.00%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$36.00 MX$611

-62.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$33.04 MX$561

-14.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$59.7 MX$1,012

-23.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$14.52 MX$246

18.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$6.25 MX$106

6.40%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$263 MX$4,454

205.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$2,806 MX$47.6K

227.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$61.8 MX$1,048

41.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$61.4 MX$1,042

-3.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$92.9 MX$1,576

49.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$134 MX$2,274

-23.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$621 MX$10.5K

72.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$534 MX$9,052

22.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,023 MX$17.3K

88.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$1,023 MX$17.4K

2.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$588 MX$9,977

600.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$973 MX$16.5K

74.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$865 MX$14.7K

-24.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

10.53

3.89%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Saltillo: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $621 in Saltillo. 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 32% higher in Saltillo, 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 $53.0 in Saltillo. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Medellin vs $295 in Saltillo – so Saltillo 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 Saltillo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 14%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $2,158 in Saltillo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saltillo, 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 $53.0 in Saltillo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $1,439 in Saltillo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Saltillo, where all-in costs run around $1,439, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Saltillo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saltillo – 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 Saltillo. 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.