Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tlaxcala Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tlaxcala

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $752 in Tlaxcala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,199 in Tlaxcala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,646 in Tlaxcala, rent included.

Medellin costs about 37% more than Tlaxcala, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Tlaxcala are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Tlaxcala 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$5.27 MX$92.3

12.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$20.89 MX$366

56.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$5.91 MX$103

21.83%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.87 MX$50.3

-40.77%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.21 MX$21.24

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.87 MX$15.25

-17.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.34 MX$23.43

24.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.82 MX$31.79

70.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.66 MX$29.12

-36.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.89 MX$33.11

-33.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.43 MX$24.97

-2.80%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.22 MX$38.83

1.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.22 MX$126

-40.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.01 MX$105

-2.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.38 MX$182

-14.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.17 MX$37.90

3.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.17 MX$20.56

-7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.63 MX$28.60

-6.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.18 MX$20.62

16.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.87 MX$15.22

29.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.04 MX$18.17

7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.76 MX$13.24

11.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.07 MX$18.65

-14.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.26 MX$74.6

-45.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$9.95 MX$174

11.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.43 MX$25.09

-16.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.51 MX$26.50

56.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.40 MX$7.07

97.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$2.19 MX$38.36

-34.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.55 MX$27.20

23.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$8.11 MX$142

-1.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.23 MX$21.59

-23.58%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$25.8K MX$451.5K

-30.54%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$25.6K MX$448.6K

4.52%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$32.43 MX$568

158.90%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$18.40 MX$322

-47.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$33.74 MX$591

-28.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$31.49 MX$551

-17.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$21.21 MX$371

-10.23%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.56 MX$79.9

-14.04%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$242 MX$4,243

26.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$3,642 MX$63.7K

62.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$30.56 MX$535

89.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$46.78 MX$819

-31.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$110 MX$1,933

-9.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$88.4 MX$1,548

21.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$246 MX$4,308

97.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$153 MX$2,678

140.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$487 MX$8,519

69.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$345 MX$6,045

107.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$678 MX$11.9K

-19.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.5

27.90%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Tlaxcala: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $246 in Tlaxcala. 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 24% higher in Tlaxcala, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $21.00 in Tlaxcala. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $214 in Tlaxcala – 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 Tlaxcala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,128 in Tlaxcala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tlaxcala, 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 $21.00 in Tlaxcala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tlaxcala, where all-in costs run around $752, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Tlaxcala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tlaxcala – 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 Tlaxcala. 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.