Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Villahermosa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Villahermosa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,294 in Villahermosa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,199 in Villahermosa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $3,105 in Villahermosa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 30% more than Villahermosa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Villahermosa is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Villahermosa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.02 COP 25.0K
$11.71 MX$202
-31.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.87 COP 149.4K
$37.70 MX$650
26.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.89 COP 30.8K
$11.77 MX$203
-15.97%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 9,767
$3.53 MX$60.9
-11.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91 COP 5,954
$1.33 MX$22.90
43.61%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 COP 4,712
$1.29 MX$22.28
17.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.12 COP 9,747
$3.08 MX$53.1
1.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 17.9K
$5.70 MX$98.4
0.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Villahermosa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 COP 4,509
$1.81 MX$31.22
-20.44%
White Bread (500g)
$2.49 COP 7,759
$1.93 MX$33.20
29.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,535
$1.49 MX$25.68
18.79%
Eggs
$2.96 COP 9,235
$2.04 MX$35.16
45.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.07 COP 31.4K
$9.43 MX$163
6.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.12 COP 31.6K
$11.56 MX$199
-12.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.30 COP 44.6K
$14.66 MX$253
-2.46%
Apples (1kg)
$4.14 COP 12.9K
$3.73 MX$64.3
10.99%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 COP 5,019
$1.44 MX$24.86
11.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 COP 7,007
$1.80 MX$30.98
25.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.25 COP 7,028
$1.34 MX$23.16
67.91%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 COP 6,375
$1.73 MX$29.81
17.92%
Onion (1kg)
$1.54 COP 4,790
$1.49 MX$25.74
3.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,651
$1.49 MX$25.67
-21.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 COP 4,077
$1.36 MX$23.43
-3.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.90 COP 12.2K
$7.08 MX$122
-44.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.01 COP 43.7K
$10.02 MX$173
39.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 COP 5,439
$2.94 MX$50.6
-40.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 COP 8,956
$7.19 MX$124
-60.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Villahermosa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.22 COP 3,792
$0.61 MX$10.49
100.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$80.5 COP 251.1K
$25.25 MX$435
218.73%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.31 COP 4,084
$2.28 MX$39.25
-42.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.19 COP 6,825
$2.29 MX$39.42
-4.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.71 COP 27.2K
$11.72 MX$202
-25.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.37 COP 4,260
$1.51 MX$26.03
-9.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K COP 86.9M
$24.6K MX$423.6K
13.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.8K COP 111.6M
$27.9K MX$480.7K
28.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Villahermosa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$177 COP 553.2K
$65.8 MX$1,135
169.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.88 COP 43.3K
$31.56 MX$544
-56.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.72 COP 92.8K
$34.57 MX$596
-14.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Villahermosa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.88 COP 140.1K
$55.4 MX$955
-19.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.12 COP 53.4K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.65 COP 20.7K
$4.72 MX$81.4
40.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Villahermosa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$813 COP 2.5M
$333 MX$5,742
144.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,187 COP 28.7M
$4,677 MX$80.6K
96.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Villahermosa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.5 COP 279.3K
$68.2 MX$1,175
31.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.0 COP 184.0K
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 431.2K
$82.1 MX$1,415
68.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 COP 318.7K
$64.9 MX$1,119
57.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Villahermosa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,062 COP 3.3M
$517 MX$8,906
105.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$663 COP 2.1M
$471 MX$8,125
40.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,888 COP 5.9M
$1,694 MX$29.2K
11.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,027 COP 3.2M
$1,256 MX$21.6K
-18.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,183 COP 13.1M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,675 COP 5.2M
$1,296 MX$22.3K
29.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Villahermosa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$678 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
0
-

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Villahermosa: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $517 in Villahermosa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $38.00 in Villahermosa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $302 – making Villahermosa 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 Villahermosa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Villahermosa cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,942 in Villahermosa. 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 Villahermosa, 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 Villahermosa?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $38.00 in Villahermosa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Villahermosa?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $1,294 in Villahermosa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Villahermosa?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Villahermosa, where all-in costs run around $1,294, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Villahermosa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Villahermosa more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Villahermosa – 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 Villahermosa. 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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