Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Uruapan del Progreso Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Uruapan del Progreso

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $1,142 in Uruapan del Progreso, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $1,865 in Uruapan del Progreso, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $2,588 in Uruapan del Progreso, rent included.

Medellin costs about 39% more than Uruapan del Progreso, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Uruapan del Progreso is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Uruapan del Progreso
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.01 COP 25.6K
$11.33 MX$205
-29.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.55 COP 149.1K
$60.8 MX$1,099
-23.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.43 COP 30.2K
$8.78 MX$159
7.40%
Cappuccino
$2.91 COP 9,326
$2.44 MX$44.10
19.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 COP 5,614
$0.81 MX$14.66
116.05%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32 COP 4,241
$0.54 MX$9.73
144.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.13 COP 10.0K
$2.79 MX$50.5
12.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.55 COP 17.8K
$1.91 MX$34.57
190.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Uruapan del Progreso
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 COP 4,519
$1.30 MX$23.58
8.46%
White Bread (500g)
$2.44 COP 7,818
$2.70 MX$48.77
-9.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 COP 5,218
$1.37 MX$24.75
18.98%
Eggs
$2.82 COP 9,038
$2.72 MX$49.16
3.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.69 COP 31.1K
$7.85 MX$142
23.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.32 COP 29.8K
$9.13 MX$165
2.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.46 COP 43.1K
$12.84 MX$232
4.83%
Apples (1kg)
$4.00 COP 12.8K
$3.07 MX$55.5
30.29%
Banana (1kg)
$1.48 COP 4,744
$1.61 MX$29.19
-8.07%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.12 COP 6,804
$0.98 MX$17.64
116.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.25 COP 7,216
$1.08 MX$19.60
108.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.91 COP 6,124
$1.42 MX$25.70
34.51%
Onion (1kg)
$1.62 COP 5,188
$1.21 MX$21.85
33.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,677
$1.42 MX$25.67
-19.01%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 COP 4,043
$0.87 MX$15.74
44.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.82 COP 12.2K
$4.63 MX$83.7
-17.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.11 COP 42.0K
$11.71 MX$212
11.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.60 COP 5,110
$2.33 MX$42.15
-31.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,226
$4.26 MX$76.9
-46.95%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Uruapan del Progreso
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,751
$0.64 MX$11.55
82.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$75.0 COP 240.3K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,077
$3.42 MX$61.8
-62.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,566
$2.66 MX$48.11
-22.93%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.20 COP 26.3K
$8.21 MX$148
-0.12%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 COP 4,067
$1.23 MX$22.26
3.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K COP 85.8M
$21.5K MX$389.0K
24.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.4K COP 110.2M
$23.7K MX$429.2K
44.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Uruapan del Progreso
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$162 COP 519.6K
$62.3 MX$1,127
160.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.12 COP 42.0K
$27.60 MX$499
-52.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.09 COP 90.0K
$25.45 MX$460
10.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Uruapan del Progreso
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.33 COP 142.0K
$34.12 MX$617
29.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 COP 52.3K
$20.05 MX$362
-18.55%
Cinema Ticket
$6.09 COP 19.5K
$4.84 MX$87.6
25.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Uruapan del Progreso
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$764 COP 2.4M
$271 MX$4,897
182.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,904 COP 28.5M
$5,025 MX$90.8K
77.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Uruapan del Progreso
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.0 COP 272.2K
$53.7 MX$971
58.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.5 COP 184.1K
$45.94 MX$830
25.14%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$132 COP 422.1K
$103 MX$1,857
28.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.8 COP 306.7K
$99.2 MX$1,792
-3.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Uruapan del Progreso
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.3M
$611 MX$11.0K
68.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$604 COP 1.9M
$399 MX$7,210
51.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,802 COP 5.8M
$1,038 MX$18.8K
73.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$993 COP 3.2M
$771 MX$13.9K
28.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,921 COP 12.6M
$1,883 MX$34.0K
108.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,639 COP 5.2M
$1,177 MX$21.3K
39.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Uruapan del Progreso
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$626 COP 2.0M
$438 MX$7,918
42.92%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
11.99
-8.76%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Uruapan del Progreso: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $611 in Uruapan del Progreso. 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 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $61.0 in Uruapan del Progreso. Groceries tell a different story – $288 in Medellin vs $265 in Uruapan del Progreso – so Uruapan del Progreso 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 Uruapan del Progreso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Uruapan del Progreso cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 39%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. 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 $2,384 per month in Medellin and $1,713 in Uruapan del Progreso. 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 Uruapan del Progreso, 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 in Uruapan del Progreso?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin and $61.0 in Uruapan del Progreso. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Uruapan del Progreso?
Groceries cost about 9% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Uruapan del Progreso?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Uruapan del Progreso, where all-in costs run around $1,142, than in Medellin at $1,589. In Uruapan del Progreso it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Uruapan del Progreso more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Uruapan del Progreso – 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 Uruapan del Progreso. 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.

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