Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and San Luis Potosi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and San Luis Potosi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,374 in San Luis Potosi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,164 in San Luis Potosi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,955 in San Luis Potosi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 22% more than San Luis Potosi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and San Luis Potosi sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, San Luis Potosi by 0%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$14.56 MX$251

-44.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$45.26 MX$780

5.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$9.78 MX$169

1.12%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.53 MX$60.9

-11.33%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.39 MX$24.01

37.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.04 MX$17.85

45.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.69 MX$46.38

15.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$4.99 MX$86.1

15.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.59 MX$27.35

-9.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.72 MX$46.94

-8.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.92 MX$33.03

-7.81%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.78 MX$47.94

6.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$8.92 MX$154

12.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$10.85 MX$187

-6.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$12.52 MX$216

14.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.38 MX$58.3

22.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.74 MX$29.96

-7.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.39 MX$41.14

-5.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.64 MX$45.56

-14.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$2.74 MX$47.29

-25.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$3.34 MX$57.5

-53.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.20 MX$20.65

-2.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.41 MX$24.27

-7.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.34 MX$74.8

-10.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$14.78 MX$255

-5.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.22 MX$38.31

-21.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$4.10 MX$70.7

-30.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.86 MX$14.86

41.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$77.6 MX$1,338

3.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.91 MX$15.72

43.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.79 MX$30.90

22.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$10.44 MX$180

-16.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.52 MX$26.23

-9.87%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$22.6K MX$390.5K

22.92%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$25.7K MX$442.3K

39.45%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$44.18 MX$762

301.31%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$17.21 MX$297

-19.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$32.79 MX$565

-9.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$31.79 MX$548

41.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$28.68 MX$494

-40.31%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$6.28 MX$108

5.89%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$272 MX$4,696

198.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$3,785 MX$65.3K

142.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$57.3 MX$987

56.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$41.64 MX$718

41.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$107 MX$1,851

28.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$84.9 MX$1,463

20.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$689 MX$11.9K

54.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$483 MX$8,324

37.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,221 MX$21.0K

54.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$821 MX$14.2K

25.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,467 MX$25.3K

185.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$949 MX$16.4K

76.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$930 MX$16.0K

-27.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

12.68

-13.72%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for San Luis Potosi: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $689 in San Luis Potosi. 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 37% higher in San Luis Potosi, 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 $45.00 in San Luis Potosi. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $316 in San Luis Potosi – 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 Luis Potosi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $2,061 in San Luis Potosi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Luis Potosi, 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 $45.00 in San Luis Potosi. 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 $1,374 in San Luis Potosi. 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 Luis Potosi, where all-in costs run around $1,374, than in Medellin at $1,681. In San Luis Potosi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Luis Potosi – 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 Luis Potosi. 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.