Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tuxtla Gutierrez Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tuxtla Gutierrez

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $998 in Tuxtla Gutierrez, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,637 in Tuxtla Gutierrez, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,277 in Tuxtla Gutierrez, rent included.

Medellin costs about 72% more than Tuxtla Gutierrez, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Tuxtla Gutierrez is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.3K

$7.00 MX$119

14.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 152.0K

$20.79 MX$353

132.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.8K

$7.81 MX$133

25.10%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,167

$4.16 MX$70.7

-30.05%

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

$1.94 COP 6,122

$1.49 MX$25.30

30.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,792

$1.20 MX$20.39

26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,740

$2.38 MX$40.47

29.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$2.69 MX$45.61

113.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,296

$1.71 MX$29.04

-20.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,519

$2.85 MX$48.39

-16.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,356

$1.82 MX$30.93

-6.59%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,038

$2.82 MX$47.84

1.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.3K

$20.12 MX$342

-50.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 34.0K

$8.60 MX$146

25.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.4K

$11.99 MX$204

22.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.9K

$2.78 MX$47.28

47.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,950

$1.50 MX$25.45

4.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,695

$2.69 MX$45.77

-20.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,972

$1.78 MX$30.23

24.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,447

$1.87 MX$31.77

9.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,737

$2.19 MX$37.12

-31.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,747

$1.21 MX$20.62

-1.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,647

$0.73 MX$12.32

58.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$4.91 MX$83.4

-20.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.5K

$11.89 MX$202

21.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,987

$1.55 MX$26.31

1.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,905

$4.05 MX$68.7

-30.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,679

$0.61 MX$10.39

91.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.8K

$30.94 MX$525

151.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,045

$2.85 MX$48.48

-55.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,589

$2.92 MX$49.58

-28.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$8.90 MX$151

-3.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,088

$1.53 MX$26.00

-15.03%

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

$27.7K COP 87.1M

$24.0K MX$407.5K

15.26%

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

$35.5K COP 111.8M

$27.0K MX$458.1K

31.64%

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

$176 COP 554.5K

$26.41 MX$449

566.68%

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

$13.37 COP 42.1K

$21.19 MX$360

-36.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.1K

$27.58 MX$468

8.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 141.0K

$45.97 MX$781

-2.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.7K

$14.80 MX$251

15.27%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$6.55 MX$111

-5.34%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$2,428 MX$41.2K

271.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.6K

$36.84 MX$626

132.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 184.1K

$17.95 MX$305

225.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 429.3K

$73.3 MX$1,244

86.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.7K

$58.4 MX$991

76.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$348 MX$5,906

204.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$245 MX$4,167

176.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$876 MX$14.9K

129.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$656 MX$11.1K

78.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$544 MX$9,231

22.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Tuxtla Gutierrez: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $348 in Tuxtla Gutierrez. 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 22% higher in Medellin, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $21.00 in Tuxtla Gutierrez. Groceries tell a different story – $303 in Medellin vs $309 in Tuxtla Gutierrez – 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 Tuxtla Gutierrez: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 72%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,497 in Tuxtla Gutierrez. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tuxtla Gutierrez, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 151% less in Tuxtla Gutierrez. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tuxtla Gutierrez, where all-in costs run around $998, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Tuxtla Gutierrez it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tuxtla Gutierrez – 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 Tuxtla Gutierrez. 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.