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 $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $911 in Tuxtla Gutierrez, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,520 in Tuxtla Gutierrez, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,130 in Tuxtla Gutierrez, rent included.

Medellin costs about 11% more than Tuxtla Gutierrez, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Tuxtla Gutierrez are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Tuxtla Gutierrez 32% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Tuxtla Gutierrez
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.99 COPΒ 21.4K
$7.05 MX$122
-15.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.86 COPΒ 117.2K
$18.74 MX$325
75.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.09 COPΒ 25.3K
$6.98 MX$121
1.58%
Cappuccino
$1.71 COPΒ 6,105
$3.63 MX$62.8
-52.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 COPΒ 3,918
$1.18 MX$20.42
-6.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 COPΒ 2,776
$1.05 MX$18.17
-25.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.68 COPΒ 5,987
$2.68 MX$46.49
-37.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 COPΒ 10.9K
$2.99 MX$51.8
2.68%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Tuxtla Gutierrez
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.09 COPΒ 3,899
$1.29 MX$22.31
-15.50%
White Bread (500g)
$1.26 COPΒ 4,500
$2.33 MX$40.43
-45.92%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.38 COPΒ 4,914
$1.61 MX$27.93
-14.29%
Eggs
$2.19 COPΒ 7,813
$2.34 MX$40.52
-6.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.40 COPΒ 15.7K
$23.92 MX$415
-81.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.63 COPΒ 20.1K
$6.93 MX$120
-18.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.89 COPΒ 31.7K
$10.78 MX$187
-17.53%
Apples (1kg)
$2.34 COPΒ 8,334
$2.58 MX$44.65
-9.30%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 COPΒ 3,771
$1.14 MX$19.81
-7.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.50 COPΒ 5,365
$2.88 MX$49.90
-47.92%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.38 COPΒ 4,915
$1.60 MX$27.74
-13.75%
Potato (1kg)
$1.15 COPΒ 4,104
$1.52 MX$26.32
-24.34%
Onion (1kg)
$1.16 COPΒ 4,148
$2.09 MX$36.19
-44.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 COPΒ 3,176
$1.05 MX$18.13
-15.24%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 COPΒ 2,992
$0.50 MX$8.74
68.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28 COPΒ 8,131
$4.04 MX$69.9
-43.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.64 COPΒ 37.9K
$11.61 MX$201
-8.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 COPΒ 4,276
$1.59 MX$27.57
-24.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 COPΒ 8,809
$2.82 MX$48.90
-12.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Tuxtla Gutierrez
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 COPΒ 3,051
$0.55 MX$9.48
56.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.40 COPΒ 147.6K
$28.64 MX$496
44.55%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.47 COPΒ 5,255
$2.70 MX$46.82
-45.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.96 COPΒ 6,997
$2.50 MX$43.36
-21.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.74 COPΒ 27.6K
$5.41 MX$93.7
43.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 COPΒ 3,403
$1.32 MX$22.82
-28.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.1K COPΒ 64.6M
$20.9K MX$361.7K
-13.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K COPΒ 94.4M
$22.8K MX$395.1K
16.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Tuxtla Gutierrez
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.3 COPΒ 293.2K
$55.7 MX$965
47.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.50 COPΒ 33.9K
$22.05 MX$382
-56.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.23 COPΒ 86.4K
$25.95 MX$450
-6.63%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Tuxtla Gutierrez
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.89 COPΒ 92.3K
$48.43 MX$839
-46.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.00 COPΒ 67.7K
$13.24 MX$229
43.50%
Cinema Ticket
$3.93 COPΒ 14.0K
$5.92 MX$103
-33.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Tuxtla Gutierrez
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$309 COPΒ 1.1M
$206 MX$3,568
50.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,965 COPΒ 21.3M
$2,186 MX$37.9K
172.93%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Tuxtla Gutierrez
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.7 COPΒ 209.1K
$10.69 MX$185
448.74%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.35 COPΒ 115.3K
$15.78 MX$273
105.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 COPΒ 365.7K
$53.3 MX$924
92.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 COPΒ 386.5K
$42.98 MX$745
152.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Tuxtla Gutierrez
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$476 COPΒ 1.7M
$320 MX$5,552
48.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$379 COPΒ 1.4M
$229 MX$3,974
65.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$838 COPΒ 3.0M
$790 MX$13.7K
6.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$724 COPΒ 2.6M
$594 MX$10.3K
21.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,791 COPΒ 9.9M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,211 COPΒ 4.3M
-
-
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Tuxtla Gutierrez
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$512 COPΒ 1.8M
$532 MX$9,219
-3.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.43
11.5
16.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tuxtla Gutierrez: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $320 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 4% higher in Tuxtla Gutierrez, 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 $19.00 in Tuxtla Gutierrez. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $286 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
Is Tuxtla Gutierrez cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,366 in Tuxtla Gutierrez. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or Tuxtla Gutierrez?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $19.00 in Tuxtla Gutierrez. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafΓ© pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin vs Tuxtla Gutierrez?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $911 in Tuxtla Gutierrez. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Medellin or Tuxtla Gutierrez?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tuxtla Gutierrez, where all-in costs run around $911, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Tuxtla Gutierrez it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Tuxtla Gutierrez more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

Medellin vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities