Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Toluca Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Toluca

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $1,148 in Toluca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,837 in Toluca, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $2,527 in Toluca, rent included.

Medellin is about 10% cheaper than Toluca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Toluca are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Toluca 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$9.33 MX$162

-35.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$41.89 MX$727

-21.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$7.97 MX$138

-6.90%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$2.80 MX$48.64

-41.07%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$1.12 MX$19.36

-4.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$0.86 MX$14.95

-11.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$2.14 MX$37.15

-19.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$3.35 MX$58.2

-4.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$1.38 MX$23.87

-23.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$3.29 MX$57.1

-60.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$1.86 MX$32.34

-27.96%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$2.62 MX$45.40

-16.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$5.60 MX$97.1

-21.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$9.68 MX$168

-41.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$12.07 MX$209

-29.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$4.00 MX$69.4

-41.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$1.66 MX$28.80

-33.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$1.92 MX$33.24

-20.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$2.18 MX$37.80

-37.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$2.49 MX$43.24

-53.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$2.38 MX$41.36

-50.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$1.79 MX$31.08

-53.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$0.98 MX$16.96

-12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$4.86 MX$84.3

-53.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$13.17 MX$229

-11.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$1.99 MX$34.48

-39.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$3.29 MX$57.1

-24.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

$0.61 MX$10.64

29.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$3.13 MX$54.4

-53.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$2.17 MX$37.71

-11.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$7.76 MX$135

0.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$1.24 MX$21.49

-18.55%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$27.9K MX$484.6K

-36.76%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$28.6K MX$495.5K

-7.35%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$47.87 MX$831

69.42%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$21.29 MX$369

-55.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$34.51 MX$599

-30.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

$50.5 MX$876

-48.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

$22.74 MX$395

-17.72%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$6.85 MX$119

-40.29%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$167 MX$2,895

88.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$5,084 MX$88.2K

18.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$54.8 MX$951

9.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$60.5 MX$1,049

-47.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$95.0 MX$1,649

6.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$104 MX$1,801

1.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$656 MX$11.4K

-26.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$381 MX$6,620

-4.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$936 MX$16.2K

-11.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$744 MX$12.9K

-1.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$1,404 MX$24.4K

113.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$965 MX$16.7K

36.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$1,364 MX$23.7K

-59.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.12

20.77%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Toluca: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $656 in Toluca. 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 148% higher in Toluca, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. 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 Toluca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $288 – 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 Toluca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Toluca is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,722 in Toluca. 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 $42.00 in Toluca. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% more in Toluca, 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 $1,028, than in Toluca at $1,148. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toluca 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, Toluca makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.