Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tulum Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tulum

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,046 in Tulum, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,936 in Tulum, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,827 in Tulum, rent included.

Medellin is about 1% cheaper than Tulum, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Tulum are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Tulum 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.5K

$10.40 MX$181

-43.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

$51.2 MX$892

-36.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

$8.16 MX$142

-11.76%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

$3.70 MX$64.4

-54.05%

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

$1.21 MX$21.09

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

$1.11 MX$19.26

-35.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

$2.76 MX$48.04

-39.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

$3.98 MX$69.2

-22.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,837

$1.43 MX$24.93

-25.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,531

$1.18 MX$20.60

5.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,060

$1.54 MX$26.87

-9.74%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,229

$1.99 MX$34.57

13.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

$5.44 MX$94.6

-20.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

$7.00 MX$122

-16.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

$6.52 MX$114

35.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

$2.16 MX$37.63

3.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

$1.42 MX$24.70

-23.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

$1.40 MX$24.34

9.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

$1.36 MX$23.72

0.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

$2.18 MX$37.85

-48.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

$1.95 MX$33.94

-42.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

$1.08 MX$18.72

-21.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

$1.00 MX$17.33

-9.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

$4.28 MX$74.4

-45.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

$8.79 MX$153

26.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

$1.31 MX$22.81

-9.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

$1.30 MX$22.56

82.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

$1.11 MX$19.36

-28.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,223

$2.06 MX$35.88

-30.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

$2.23 MX$38.83

-14.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

$5.16 MX$89.7

55.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

$1.30 MX$22.66

-27.69%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

$15.8K MX$274.9K

13.45%

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

$21.2K MX$369.2K

26.25%

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

$84.2 MX$1,466

-0.33%

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

$22.28 MX$388

-56.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

$29.45 MX$512

-17.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

$33.29 MX$579

-22.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

$15.80 MX$275

20.51%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

$4.65 MX$81.0

-15.70%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$204 MX$3,544

50.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

$2,835 MX$49.3K

108.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

$25.94 MX$451

123.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

$31.52 MX$548

0.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

$80.8 MX$1,406

23.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

$45.62 MX$794

134.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$699 MX$12.2K

-30.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$397 MX$6,905

-7.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,432 MX$24.9K

-42.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,256 MX$21.8K

-42.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$3,268 MX$56.9K

-10.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,855 MX$32.3K

-24.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$781 MX$13.6K

-30.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

22.09%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Tulum: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $699 in Tulum. 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 43% higher in Tulum, 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 $51.0 in Tulum. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $196 – 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 Tulum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tulum is pricier by about 1%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,569 in Tulum. 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 $51.0 in Tulum. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Tulum, 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 $1,034, than in Tulum at $1,046. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tulum 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, Tulum makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.