Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zacapoaxtla Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zacapoaxtla

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $764 in Zacapoaxtla, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,231 in Zacapoaxtla, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,698 in Zacapoaxtla, rent included.

Medellin costs about 33% more than Zacapoaxtla, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Zacapoaxtla are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Zacapoaxtla 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 21.2K

$4.38 MX$76.4

35.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 118.9K

$21.46 MX$375

55.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.8K

$5.36 MX$93.5

34.89%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,811

$2.49 MX$43.48

-34.54%

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

$1.09 COP 3,904

$0.99 MX$17.31

10.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,604

$1.07 MX$18.75

-31.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,197

$1.26 MX$21.91

38.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.5K

$1.93 MX$33.68

67.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,742

$1.24 MX$21.69

-15.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,614

$1.39 MX$24.21

-7.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,718

$1.48 MX$25.86

-10.81%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,101

$2.28 MX$39.84

-0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.5K

$3.20 MX$55.8

35.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.0K

$4.67 MX$81.4

25.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.7K

$4.61 MX$80.5

86.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,015

$1.26 MX$21.93

78.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,814

$1.03 MX$18.03

3.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,438

$0.56 MX$9.79

171.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,073

$1.01 MX$17.61

40.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,173

$0.80 MX$14.00

46.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,166

$1.04 MX$18.23

12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,163

$1.11 MX$19.44

-19.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,215

$0.92 MX$16.08

-2.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,008

$4.17 MX$72.7

-46.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.4K

$13.59 MX$237

-18.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,063

$1.12 MX$19.60

1.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,483

$1.57 MX$27.46

51.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

$0.68 MX$11.92

23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

$42.11 MX$735

-0.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,019

$1.33 MX$23.26

6.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,779

$0.28 MX$4.87

578.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.6K

$5.29 MX$92.3

46.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,586

$1.28 MX$22.37

-21.09%

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

$17.6K COP 62.7M

$13.5K MX$236.5K

29.75%

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

$26.5K COP 94.5M

$23.7K MX$414.4K

11.59%

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

$83.7 COP 298.4K

$40.25 MX$703

107.90%

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

$9.45 COP 33.7K

$26.22 MX$458

-63.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.0K

$30.10 MX$525

-19.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

$35.37 MX$617

-28.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

$16.01 MX$279

19.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.6K

$2.61 MX$45.59

57.09%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$209 MX$3,650

49.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.4M

$3,626 MX$63.3K

65.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 207.0K

$18.20 MX$318

218.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.1K

$23.46 MX$410

38.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 355.3K

$42.14 MX$736

136.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 387.1K

$34.82 MX$608

211.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$497 MX$8,673

-2.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$247 MX$4,305

53.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

$987 MX$17.2K

-15.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

$588 MX$10.3K

23.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

$1,928 MX$33.6K

47.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

$1,288 MX$22.5K

-5.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$630 MX$11.0K

-14.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.34

18.43%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Zacapoaxtla: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $497 in Zacapoaxtla. 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 17% higher in Zacapoaxtla, 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 $21.00 in Zacapoaxtla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $164 – making Zacapoaxtla 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 Zacapoaxtla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 33%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,146 in Zacapoaxtla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zacapoaxtla, 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $21.00 in Zacapoaxtla. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $764 in Zacapoaxtla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zacapoaxtla, where all-in costs run around $764, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Zacapoaxtla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zacapoaxtla – 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 Zacapoaxtla. 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.