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 $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $980 in San Cristobal de las Casas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,523 in San Cristobal de las Casas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,066 in San Cristobal de las Casas, rent included.

Medellin costs about 72% more than San Cristobal de las Casas, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while San Cristobal de las Casas is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$6.00 MX$103

33.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$29.47 MX$508

62.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$6.26 MX$108

57.99%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.63 MX$45.34

19.01%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.73 MX$29.75

10.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.06 MX$18.33

42.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.93 MX$50.6

6.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.55 MX$61.2

61.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.54 MX$26.49

-6.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$3.76 MX$64.9

-33.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.69 MX$29.14

4.73%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.52 MX$43.38

17.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$6.93 MX$120

45.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.51 MX$77.8

124.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$6.85 MX$118

108.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.51 MX$60.5

17.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.16 MX$37.23

-25.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.34 MX$40.35

-3.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.48 MX$25.44

52.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.71 MX$29.43

19.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.93 MX$33.28

-20.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.92 MX$33.07

-39.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.74 MX$29.99

-24.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$1.99 MX$34.35

95.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$11.02 MX$190

27.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.48 MX$42.84

-29.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.06 MX$35.49

39.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.56 MX$9.66

117.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$29.16 MX$503

175.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$2.87 MX$49.54

-54.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$3.00 MX$51.7

-27.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.49 MX$25.61

-8.05%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$19.8K MX$341.2K

40.66%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$33.92 MX$585

422.70%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$15.35 MX$265

-9.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$21.29 MX$367

39.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$23.97 MX$413

87.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$24.57 MX$424

-30.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$7.46 MX$129

-10.86%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$217 MX$3,746

274.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$2,751 MX$47.4K

233.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$20.43 MX$352

338.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$28.92 MX$499

103.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$103 MX$1,768

34.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$59.3 MX$1,023

72.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$468 MX$8,062

127.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$338 MX$5,833

95.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$932 MX$16.1K

102.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$580 MX$10.0K

77.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$885 MX$15.3K

372.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$697 MX$12.0K

140.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$433 MX$7,467

56.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.8

11.63%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for San Cristobal de las Casas: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $468 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 56% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $29.00 in San Cristobal de las Casas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $257 – making San Cristobal de las Casas 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 San Cristobal de las Casas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 72%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,470 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $29.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $980 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 $980, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.