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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $760 in Zacapoaxtla, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,213 in Zacapoaxtla, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,665 in Zacapoaxtla, rent included.

Medellin costs about 35% more than Zacapoaxtla, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Zacapoaxtla are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Zacapoaxtla 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$4.37 MX$75.8

35.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$21.29 MX$369

55.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$5.18 MX$89.9

39.96%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$2.48 MX$43.00

-31.05%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$1.01 MX$17.43

7.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$1.09 MX$18.86

-29.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$1.22 MX$21.15

43.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$2.01 MX$34.86

58.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$1.30 MX$22.58

-18.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$1.39 MX$24.12

-6.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$1.41 MX$24.43

-2.13%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$2.39 MX$41.39

-7.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$3.10 MX$53.7

45.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$4.50 MX$78.0

28.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$4.53 MX$78.5

98.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$1.25 MX$21.69

83.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$1.05 MX$18.15

0.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$0.55 MX$9.61

174.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$1.02 MX$17.60

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$0.79 MX$13.73

46.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$1.04 MX$17.97

12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$1.17 MX$20.22

-29.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$0.98 MX$17.03

-13.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$4.11 MX$71.3

-42.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$13.90 MX$241

-20.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$1.13 MX$19.51

1.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$1.62 MX$28.01

52.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$0.74 MX$12.83

6.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$41.73 MX$723

0.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$1.37 MX$23.68

5.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$0.28 MX$4.82

578.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$5.43 MX$94.1

41.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$1.29 MX$22.29

-20.16%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$13.4K MX$232.5K

31.82%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$23.8K MX$413.2K

13.31%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$40.87 MX$708

99.22%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$25.95 MX$450

-63.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$30.33 MX$526

-21.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$35.37 MX$613

-26.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

$15.72 MX$272

23.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$2.58 MX$44.70

56.98%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$209 MX$3,630

49.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$3,545 MX$61.4K

71.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$18.29 MX$317

221.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$24.05 MX$417

36.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$42.29 MX$733

137.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$34.71 MX$601

206.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$481 MX$8,328

1.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$247 MX$4,274

50.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,014 MX$17.6K

-17.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$581 MX$10.1K

23.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$2,025 MX$35.1K

45.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$1,172 MX$20.3K

18.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

$636 MX$11.0K

-16.37%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Zacapoaxtla: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $481 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 20% 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 in Medellin versus $21 in Zacapoaxtla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $165 – 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 35%, 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 $1,544 per month in Medellin and $1,140 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 $1,030 in Medellin and $760 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 $760, than in Medellin at $1,030. 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.