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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $892 in San Cristobal de las Casas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,379 in San Cristobal de las Casas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,867 in San Cristobal de las Casas, rent included.

Medellin costs about 16% 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 23% lower, San Cristobal de las Casas 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.22 MX$91.6

18.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$26.65 MX$467

22.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.94 MX$104

23.57%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.33 MX$40.82

-26.18%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.63 MX$28.62

-35.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.99 MX$17.42

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$2.44 MX$42.72

-30.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$4.90 MX$85.9

-35.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.39 MX$24.38

-24.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.92 MX$51.2

-55.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.54 MX$26.99

-9.09%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$3.43 MX$60.2

-37.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.91 MX$121

-36.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.09 MX$71.7

43.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$6.87 MX$120

25.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$3.18 MX$55.8

-28.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.94 MX$34.02

-42.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.75 MX$30.72

-12.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.46 MX$25.54

-7.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.65 MX$29.01

-31.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.42 MX$24.92

-20.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.43 MX$25.17

-40.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.33 MX$23.37

-31.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$1.88 MX$32.98

24.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.72 MX$188

15.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.96 MX$34.37

-38.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.25 MX$39.43

10.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.54 MX$9.56

55.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$26.18 MX$459

54.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.67 MX$46.83

-46.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.49 MX$43.73

-22.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$8.28 MX$145

-7.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.31 MX$23.02

-24.43%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$16.1K MX$282.2K

12.06%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$22.6K MX$396.0K

17.95%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$33.07 MX$580

144.36%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$19.79 MX$347

-49.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$19.64 MX$344

23.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$21.50 MX$377

16.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$16.16 MX$283

18.50%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.56 MX$115

-39.33%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$198 MX$3,472

54.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$2,513 MX$44.1K

141.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$26.01 MX$456

123.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$31.61 MX$554

1.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$83.3 MX$1,461

20.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$50.5 MX$886

113.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$427 MX$7,487

11.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$301 MX$5,283

24.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$860 MX$15.1K

-1.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$506 MX$8,867

44.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$865 MX$15.2K

271.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$679 MX$11.9K

102.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$426 MX$7,468

44.86%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for San Cristobal de las Casas: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $427 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 45% 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 – $193 in Medellin vs $232 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 16%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,338 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $892 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 $892, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.