Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zapopan

For one person, living is cheaper in Zapopan: $1,509 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $1,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
73

Cost of Living Index in Zapopan
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Zapopan Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,625

/mo nomad

Zapopan

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,509

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Zapopan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Zapopan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,625 per month in Medellin vs $1,509 in Zapopan, rent included.

Medellin $1,625
Zapopan $1,509

A couple spends around $2,412 per month in Medellin vs $2,182 in Zapopan, rent included.

Medellin $2,412
Zapopan $2,182

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Medellin vs $2,856 in Zapopan, rent included.

Medellin $3,199
Zapopan $2,856

Medellin costs about 8% more than Zapopan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Medellin and Zapopan sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Zapopan by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.30 COP 26.3K

$10.79 MX$199

-23.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.91 COP 148.7K

$32.37 MX$598

44.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 COP 29.3K

$11.03 MX$204

-16.23%

Cappuccino

$3.05 COP 9,676

$3.63 MX$67.2

-15.98%

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

$1.80 COP 5,707

$1.16 MX$21.42

55.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 COP 4,382

$1.12 MX$20.67

23.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 COP 10.3K

$2.20 MX$40.62

47.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.56 COP 17.6K

$4.39 MX$81.1

26.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 COP 4,760

$1.48 MX$27.28

1.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 COP 7,508

$2.63 MX$48.56

-9.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,377

$1.16 MX$21.35

46.55%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,379

$2.83 MX$52.3

4.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 COP 32.4K

$8.28 MX$153

23.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.74 COP 30.9K

$9.90 MX$183

-1.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.90 COP 44.1K

$9.72 MX$180

43.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 COP 13.1K

$2.91 MX$53.7

41.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,839

$1.37 MX$25.41

11.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 COP 7,052

$1.77 MX$32.64

25.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 COP 7,194

$2.16 MX$39.85

5.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 COP 6,311

$2.24 MX$41.36

-11.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 COP 5,285

$2.48 MX$45.84

-32.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 COP 3,742

$1.86 MX$34.38

-36.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 3,919

$1.17 MX$21.57

5.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 COP 12.3K

$5.54 MX$102

-30.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.78 COP 43.7K

$6.53 MX$121

111.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,256

$1.78 MX$32.89

-6.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 COP 7,615

$2.85 MX$52.7

-15.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 COP 3,944

$0.54 MX$10.02

129.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.2 COP 248.0K

$32.91 MX$608

137.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,044

$2.47 MX$45.58

-48.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 COP 6,803

$2.40 MX$44.30

-10.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.37 COP 26.5K

$9.32 MX$172

-10.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,288

$1.49 MX$27.55

-9.40%

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

$34.8K COP 110.2M

$24.4K MX$450.2K

42.67%

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

$34.7K COP 110.0M

$24.0K MX$443.3K

44.58%

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

$167 COP 528.4K

$123 MX$2,275

35.37%

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

$13.62 COP 43.2K

$24.57 MX$454

-44.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.12 COP 92.3K

$29.39 MX$543

-0.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.09 COP 143.0K

$43.59 MX$805

3.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.18 COP 54.5K

$13.55 MX$250

26.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.97 COP 22.1K

$5.56 MX$103

25.36%

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

$790 COP 2.5M

$166 MX$3,061

376.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,041 COP 28.7M

$6,914 MX$127.8K

30.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.8 COP 278.4K

$45.52 MX$841

92.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.2 COP 184.4K

$25.36 MX$469

129.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 440.7K

$73.6 MX$1,359

88.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.9 COP 313.5K

$117 MX$2,170

-15.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$985 MX$18.2K

4.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 COP 2.0M

$656 MX$12.1K

-5.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,881 COP 6.0M

$1,671 MX$30.9K

12.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 COP 3.2M

$1,014 MX$18.7K

-0.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,988 COP 12.6M

$5,703 MX$105.4K

-30.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,702 COP 5.4M

$1,501 MX$27.7K

13.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 COP 2.1M

$979 MX$18.1K

-32.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

11.3

-3.19%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Last update for Zapopan: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$619 38.1%

Zapopan

$656 43.5% 5.8% $36

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$298 18.3%

Zapopan

$262 17.4% 12.1% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$209 12.9%

Zapopan

$177 11.7% 15.4% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$173 10.6%

Zapopan

$118 7.8% 31.8% $55

Eating Out

Medellin

$171 10.5%

Zapopan

$192 12.7% 12.3% $21

Getting Around

Medellin

$95 5.9%

Zapopan

$50 3.3% 48% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$59 3.6%

Zapopan

$55 3.6% 7.3% $4.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $985 in Zapopan. 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 48% higher in Zapopan, 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $32.00 in Zapopan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $262 – making Zapopan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇲🇽 Zapopan

🕒 Local time

03:47 3:47 AM

02:47 2:47 AM

1 h behind Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

1,257,547

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Zapopan 3,400 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Zapopan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Zapopan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 8%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,437 per month in Medellin and $2,263 in Zapopan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zapopan, 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 $47.00 in Medellin and $32.00 in Zapopan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,625 in Medellin and $1,509 in Zapopan. That's a gap of about 8%.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zapopan, where all-in costs run around $1,509, than in Medellin at $1,625. In Zapopan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zapopan – 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 Zapopan. 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.