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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $1,107 in Tapachula, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $1,766 in Tapachula, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $2,425 in Tapachula, rent included.

Medellin is about 8% cheaper than Tapachula, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Tapachula are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Tapachula 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.0K

$10.48 MX$182

-43.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.0K

$39.52 MX$688

-16.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.8K

$8.12 MX$141

-12.32%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,457

$3.22 MX$56.0

-46.89%

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

$1.05 COP 3,356

$1.23 MX$21.47

-14.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,311

$0.95 MX$16.56

-24.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,502

$2.31 MX$40.20

-25.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$3.96 MX$69.0

-19.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,408

$1.44 MX$25.10

-26.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,192

$2.61 MX$45.34

-49.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,256

$1.57 MX$27.33

-15.29%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,298

$2.39 MX$41.57

-4.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.1K

$7.81 MX$136

-43.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 18.9K

$7.95 MX$138

-25.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.7K

$10.51 MX$183

-17.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,504

$2.61 MX$45.46

-10.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,527

$1.43 MX$24.95

-23.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,698

$1.72 MX$29.89

-14.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,415

$1.64 MX$28.47

-15.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,754

$1.83 MX$31.88

-36.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,744

$1.92 MX$33.44

-39.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,890

$1.25 MX$21.69

-28.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,693

$1.02 MX$17.72

-17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,449

$4.30 MX$74.8

-45.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.1K

$10.38 MX$181

14.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,673

$1.56 MX$27.11

-26.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,749

$2.84 MX$49.51

-14.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,687

$0.65 MX$11.33

29.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 130.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,517

$2.56 MX$44.51

-44.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,127

$1.53 MX$26.68

24.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.0K

$8.26 MX$144

-5.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,020

$1.27 MX$22.15

-25.98%

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

$17.8K COP 57.0M

$21.5K MX$374.7K

-17.25%

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

$27.1K COP 86.7M

$22.5K MX$391.8K

20.27%

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

$83.3 COP 266.4K

$57.0 MX$992

46.12%

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

$9.66 COP 30.9K

$22.13 MX$385

-56.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.5K

$28.04 MX$488

-13.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 80.7K

$35.80 MX$623

-29.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 61.9K

$16.15 MX$281

19.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.0K

$4.67 MX$81.3

-12.85%

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

$307 COP 981.2K

$204 MX$3,549

50.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.1M

$3,597 MX$62.6K

66.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.9K

$52.2 MX$907

14.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 104.5K

$40.34 MX$702

-19.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 323.5K

$89.9 MX$1,564

12.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 345.7K

$78.1 MX$1,360

38.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$504 MX$8,767

-5.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$404 MX$7,023

-6.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$917 MX$16.0K

-11.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$778 MX$13.5K

-9.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.2M

$1,675 MX$29.1K

90.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.6M

$1,263 MX$22.0K

14.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Tapachula: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $504 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $40.00 in Tapachula. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $249 – 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 $1,527 per month in Medellin and $1,660 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 $40.00 in Tapachula. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% 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 $1,018, than in Tapachula at $1,107. 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.