Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tepic Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tepic

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,015 in Tepic, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,651 in Tepic, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,288 in Tepic, rent included.

Medellin and Tepic have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 21.2K

$7.99 MX$139

-25.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 118.9K

$42.04 MX$734

-20.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.8K

$9.03 MX$158

-19.93%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,811

$3.21 MX$56.0

-49.22%

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

$1.09 COP 3,904

$2.03 MX$35.47

-46.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,604

$1.38 MX$24.07

-47.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,197

$2.60 MX$45.39

-33.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.5K

$3.94 MX$68.7

-18.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,742

$1.49 MX$26.05

-29.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,614

$2.34 MX$40.76

-44.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,718

$1.03 MX$17.96

28.16%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,101

$2.03 MX$35.44

11.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.5K

$4.73 MX$82.6

-8.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.0K

$13.18 MX$230

-55.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.7K

$6.76 MX$118

27.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,015

$2.61 MX$45.57

-13.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,814

$1.51 MX$26.27

-29.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,438

$3.40 MX$59.3

-55.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,073

$1.59 MX$27.68

-10.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,173

$1.82 MX$31.80

-35.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,166

$1.99 MX$34.71

-41.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,163

$1.45 MX$25.33

-38.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,215

$1.01 MX$17.71

-10.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,008

$4.27 MX$74.6

-47.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.4K

$11.03 MX$192

0.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,063

$0.77 MX$13.43

48.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,483

$1.60 MX$28.00

48.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

$0.51 MX$8.84

64.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,019

$2.18 MX$38.06

-35.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,779

$0.50 MX$8.80

280.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.6K

$10.76 MX$188

-27.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,586

$1.26 MX$22.01

-19.84%

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

$17.6K COP 62.7M

$18.5K MX$322.7K

-4.91%

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

$26.5K COP 94.5M

$18.4K MX$321.7K

43.73%

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

$83.7 COP 298.4K

$41.95 MX$732

99.48%

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

$9.45 COP 33.7K

$11.76 MX$205

-19.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.0K

$25.28 MX$441

-4.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

$36.42 MX$636

-30.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

$15.66 MX$273

22.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.6K

$4.27 MX$74.5

-3.98%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$210 MX$3,662

48.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.4M

$3,485 MX$60.8K

71.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 207.0K

$42.51 MX$742

36.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.1K

$16.14 MX$282

101.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 355.3K

$66.3 MX$1,157

50.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 387.1K

$75.0 MX$1,309

44.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$507 MX$8,847

-4.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$403 MX$7,026

-5.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

$937 MX$16.4K

-10.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

$770 MX$13.4K

-6.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

$2,109 MX$36.8K

34.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

$1,268 MX$22.1K

-3.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$689 MX$12.0K

-21.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.75

14.30%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Tepic: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $507 in Tepic. 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 27% higher in Tepic. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $42.00 in Tepic. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $251 – 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 Tepic: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,523 in Tepic. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tepic, 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 $42.00 in Tepic. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $210 in Tepic. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tepic, where all-in costs run around $1,015, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Tepic it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tepic – 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 Tepic. 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.