Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and San Cristobal de las Casas Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and San Cristobal de las Casas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $894 in San Cristobal de las Casas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,365 in San Cristobal de las Casas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,835 in San Cristobal de las Casas, rent included.

Medellin costs about 13% more than San Cristobal de las Casas, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and San Cristobal de las Casas are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, San Cristobal de las Casas 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.23 MX$90.4

14.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$26.82 MX$464

22.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.66 MX$97.8

25.27%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.38 MX$41.09

-28.15%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.61 MX$27.88

-31.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.99 MX$17.20

-21.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.33 MX$40.23

-27.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$4.72 MX$81.6

-34.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.45 MX$25.11

-24.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$3.05 MX$52.7

-58.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.48 MX$25.56

-6.76%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$3.58 MX$62.0

-38.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.05 MX$122

-37.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.04 MX$69.8

39.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$7.23 MX$125

22.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$3.18 MX$55.0

-26.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.93 MX$33.32

-45.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.68 MX$29.05

-10.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.44 MX$24.97

-4.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.70 MX$29.46

-32.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.39 MX$24.06

-16.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.44 MX$24.91

-38.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.31 MX$22.71

-35.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$1.81 MX$31.34

25.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$10.76 MX$186

-1.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.94 MX$33.54

-38.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.36 MX$40.75

4.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.55 MX$9.60

56.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$26.61 MX$460

55.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$2.63 MX$45.41

-44.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$2.40 MX$41.59

-18.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$8.26 MX$143

-6.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.34 MX$23.11

-29.10%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$15.7K MX$272.0K

15.28%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$22.8K MX$394.8K

16.03%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$32.62 MX$564

152.15%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$19.87 MX$344

-52.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$19.36 MX$335

25.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$21.73 MX$376

19.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$15.94 MX$276

19.20%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.67 MX$115

-41.08%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$198 MX$3,417

56.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$2,562 MX$44.3K

132.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$26.22 MX$454

123.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$32.14 MX$556

0.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$83.1 MX$1,437

23.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$51.6 MX$892

110.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$415 MX$7,185

14.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$306 MX$5,292

23.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$837 MX$14.5K

0.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$516 MX$8,918

40.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$855 MX$14.8K

226.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$688 MX$11.9K

76.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$425 MX$7,344

20.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.33

30.01%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for San Cristobal de las Casas: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $415 in San Cristobal de las Casas. 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 21% higher in Medellin, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in San Cristobal de las Casas. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $235 in San Cristobal de las Casas – 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 San Cristobal de las Casas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 13%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,341 in San Cristobal de las Casas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Cristobal de las Casas, 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 $27.00 in San Cristobal de las Casas. 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 $894 in San Cristobal de las Casas. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Cristobal de las Casas, where all-in costs run around $894, than in Medellin at $1,013. In San Cristobal de las Casas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Cristobal de las Casas – 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 San Cristobal de las Casas. 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.