Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zacatecas Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zacatecas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $944 in Zacatecas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,493 in Zacatecas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,042 in Zacatecas, rent included.

Medellin costs about 9% more than Zacatecas, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Zacatecas are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Zacatecas 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$6.02 MX$105

2.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$31.09 MX$541

4.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.28 MX$127

0.82%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.96 MX$51.6

-41.89%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.22 MX$21.25

-13.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.70 MX$12.21

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.81 MX$31.45

-6.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.79 MX$65.9

-16.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.39 MX$24.21

-24.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.14 MX$37.21

-39.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.57 MX$27.26

-10.83%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.20 MX$38.31

-1.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.26 MX$126

-39.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.89 MX$103

-0.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.10 MX$158

-5.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.74 MX$30.35

31.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.49 MX$25.96

-25.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.78 MX$30.97

-14.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.43 MX$24.94

-5.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.80 MX$31.41

-37.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.02 MX$35.16

-44.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.37 MX$23.82

-37.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.75 MX$13.11

21.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$4.17 MX$72.6

-43.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.90 MX$190

13.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.63 MX$28.32

-26.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.11 MX$54.1

-19.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.49 MX$8.48

71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$16.10 MX$280

151.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.08 MX$36.19

-31.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.94 MX$16.36

104.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$11.50 MX$200

-33.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.30 MX$22.70

-23.85%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$24.2K MX$422.0K

-25.61%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$23.9K MX$416.8K

11.24%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$22.53 MX$392

258.68%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$8.09 MX$141

22.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$25.10 MX$437

-3.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$23.52 MX$410

6.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$7.80 MX$136

145.51%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.15 MX$72.3

-4.10%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$191 MX$3,324

59.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,190 MX$55.5K

89.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$43.23 MX$753

34.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$42.35 MX$737

-23.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$87.9 MX$1,531

14.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$42.12 MX$733

155.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$239 MX$4,162

99.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$403 MX$7,013

-6.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$366 MX$6,372

130.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$768 MX$13.4K

-4.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$590 MX$10.3K

132.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$435 MX$7,577

41.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.48

16.99%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Zacatecas: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $239 in Zacatecas. 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 42% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $31.00 in Zacatecas. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $221 in Zacatecas – 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 Zacatecas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 9%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,415 in Zacatecas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zacatecas, 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 $31.00 in Zacatecas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $944 in Zacatecas. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zacatecas, where all-in costs run around $944, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Zacatecas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zacatecas – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Zacatecas. 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.