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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $1,314 in Tulum, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $2,221 in Tulum, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $3,127 in Tulum, rent included.

Medellin costs about 28% more than Tulum, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Tulum is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$8.57 MX$145

-7.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$58.7 MX$995

-24.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$9.02 MX$153

2.99%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$4.23 MX$71.7

-31.44%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$1.19 MX$20.09

52.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$1.24 MX$21.03

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$3.03 MX$51.3

7.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$3.83 MX$64.9

53.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.70 MX$28.73

-18.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$2.16 MX$36.65

13.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.86 MX$31.44

-18.82%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$2.03 MX$34.33

36.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$5.81 MX$98.4

55.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$8.31 MX$141

28.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$9.41 MX$159

55.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$2.68 MX$45.49

48.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.61 MX$27.36

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.61 MX$27.33

42.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.60 MX$27.11

26.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$2.47 MX$41.93

-15.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.89 MX$32.04

-13.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.46 MX$24.75

-26.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.86 MX$14.49

45.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$4.64 MX$78.6

-13.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$9.03 MX$153

49.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.40 MX$23.77

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$1.40 MX$23.71

114.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$1.46 MX$24.70

-19.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$2.87 MX$48.64

-43.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$2.57 MX$43.52

-17.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$6.05 MX$102

40.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.51 MX$25.54

-10.60%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$22.9K MX$388.8K

23.46%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$26.0K MX$440.0K

37.46%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$113 MX$1,912

34.17%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$17.77 MX$301

-26.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$37.96 MX$643

-14.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$36.62 MX$621

26.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$7.02 MX$119

-8.40%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$272 MX$4,615

206.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$3,141 MX$53.2K

182.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$44.35 MX$752

101.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$34.57 MX$586

59.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$104 MX$1,770

30.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$63.4 MX$1,075

72.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$638 MX$10.8K

49.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$563 MX$9,541

18.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$1,628 MX$27.6K

24.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$1,381 MX$23.4K

-16.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$3,409 MX$57.8K

8.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$1,892 MX$32.1K

-16.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$830 MX$14.1K

-24.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

10.8

-3.43%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Tulum: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $638 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 33% higher in Tulum, 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $59.0 in Tulum. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Medellin vs $234 in Tulum – so Tulum 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 Tulum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 28%, 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $1,971 in Tulum. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tulum, 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $59.0 in Tulum. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tulum, where all-in costs run around $1,314, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Tulum it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tulum – 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 Tulum. 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.