Cost of Living Comparison Between Merida and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Merida and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,440 per month in Merida vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,314 per month in Merida vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,189 per month in Merida vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Merida is about 16% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Merida and Medellin sit above the global median – Merida by 5%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.58 MX$248

$8.03 COP 25.3K

81.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.4 MX$992

$48.26 COP 152.0K

21.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.72 MX$148

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-10.75%

Cappuccino

$4.21 MX$71.5

$2.91 COP 9,167

44.67%

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

$1.22 MX$20.66

$1.94 COP 6,122

-37.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 MX$19.97

$1.52 COP 4,792

-22.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.4

$3.09 COP 9,740

-1.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 MX$67.6

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-30.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 MX$29.56

$1.36 COP 4,296

27.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.95 MX$50.2

$2.39 COP 7,519

23.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$31.87

$1.70 COP 5,356

10.59%

Eggs

$2.02 MX$34.27

$2.87 COP 9,038

-29.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 MX$186

$9.94 COP 31.3K

10.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.08 MX$137

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-25.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.54 MX$230

$14.73 COP 46.4K

-8.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 MX$51.9

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-25.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 MX$26.24

$1.57 COP 4,950

-1.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 MX$39.08

$2.13 COP 6,695

7.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 MX$37.53

$2.21 COP 6,972

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 MX$42.20

$2.05 COP 6,447

20.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.43

$1.50 COP 4,737

27.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 MX$27.00

$1.19 COP 3,747

33.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MX$20.76

$1.16 COP 3,647

5.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.90 MX$83.2

$3.90 COP 12.3K

25.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.78 MX$200

$14.44 COP 45.5K

-18.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 MX$26.54

$1.58 COP 4,987

-1.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 MX$46.29

$2.83 COP 8,905

-3.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MX$11.60

$1.17 COP 3,679

-41.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.26 MX$361

$77.7 COP 244.8K

-72.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 MX$50.4

$1.28 COP 4,045

132.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.04 MX$68.7

$2.09 COP 6,589

93.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 MX$161

$8.62 COP 27.1K

9.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 MX$27.24

$1.30 COP 4,088

23.08%

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

$22.8K MX$387.4K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

-17.52%

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

$25.6K MX$434.7K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-27.92%

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

$119 MX$2,017

$176 COP 554.5K

-32.55%

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

$22.87 MX$388

$13.37 COP 42.1K

71.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.46 MX$636

$29.89 COP 94.1K

25.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.09 MX$528

$44.76 COP 141.0K

-30.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.82 MX$218

$17.06 COP 53.7K

-24.85%

Cinema Ticket

$8.12 MX$138

$6.20 COP 19.5K

30.97%

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

$276 MX$4,691

$793 COP 2.5M

-65.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,856 MX$65.5K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-57.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.2 MX$988

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-32.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$968

$58.5 COP 184.1K

-2.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MX$1,825

$136 COP 429.3K

-21.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,510

$103 COP 324.7K

-13.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$685 MX$11.6K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-35.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$486 MX$8,261

$680 COP 2.1M

-28.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,343 MX$22.8K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-33.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,037 MX$17.6K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-11.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,422 MX$41.1K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-41.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,342 MX$22.8K

$1,701 COP 5.4M

-21.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$627 MX$10.6K

$665 COP 2.1M

-5.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.64

10.94

6.40%

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

Last update for Merida: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $685 in Merida versus $1,060 in Medellin. 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 6% 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 $58.0 in Merida versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $290 in Merida vs $303 in Medellin – so Merida 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

Merida vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 19%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,159 per month in Merida and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Merida, 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 $58.0 in Merida and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,440 in Merida and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Merida, where all-in costs run around $1,440, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Merida it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Merida – 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 Merida. 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.