Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tapachula Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tapachula

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $1,126 in Tapachula, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,748 in Tapachula, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,371 in Tapachula, rent included.

Medellin is about 9% cheaper than Tapachula, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Tapachula are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Tapachula 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$10.56 MX$183

-43.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$38.97 MX$675

-14.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$7.98 MX$138

-9.15%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$3.40 MX$58.9

-49.71%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$1.24 MX$21.44

-12.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$0.98 MX$16.99

-21.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$2.44 MX$42.26

-28.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$3.84 MX$66.5

-17.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$1.48 MX$25.69

-28.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$2.55 MX$44.12

-49.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$1.57 MX$27.20

-12.10%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$2.40 MX$41.54

-7.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$7.92 MX$137

-42.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$7.81 MX$135

-25.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$10.68 MX$185

-16.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$2.72 MX$47.11

-15.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$1.38 MX$23.97

-23.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$1.73 MX$30.05

-12.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$1.60 MX$27.70

-15.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$1.92 MX$33.24

-39.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$1.93 MX$33.41

-39.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$1.26 MX$21.80

-34.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$0.97 MX$16.88

-12.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$4.25 MX$73.7

-44.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$10.15 MX$176

9.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$1.56 MX$27.10

-26.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$2.83 MX$49.09

-12.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$0.65 MX$11.30

21.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$2.52 MX$43.65

-42.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$1.53 MX$26.43

24.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$8.49 MX$147

-9.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$1.26 MX$21.79

-18.25%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$21.3K MX$368.7K

-16.89%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$22.6K MX$391.1K

19.72%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$56.6 MX$981

43.83%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$22.51 MX$390

-58.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$28.01 MX$485

-15.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$36.34 MX$630

-28.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

$15.65 MX$271

23.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$4.62 MX$80.0

-12.34%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$210 MX$3,640

48.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$3,543 MX$61.4K

71.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$53.3 MX$924

10.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$39.90 MX$692

-17.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$89.0 MX$1,543

12.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$78.5 MX$1,360

35.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$517 MX$8,952

-5.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$396 MX$6,857

-6.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$917 MX$15.9K

-8.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$759 MX$13.1K

-5.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$2,018 MX$35.0K

46.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$1,216 MX$21.1K

14.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.48

16.99%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Last update for Tapachula: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $517 in Tapachula. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33 in Medellin versus $39 in Tapachula. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $248 – making Medellin 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 Tapachula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tapachula is pricier by about 9%, 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 $1,544 per month in Medellin and $1,688 in Tapachula. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $39.00 in Tapachula. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Tapachula, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,030, than in Tapachula at $1,126. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tapachula it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tapachula makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.