Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexicali and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexicali and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,067 per month in Mexicali vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,615 per month in Mexicali vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,164 per month in Mexicali vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Mexicali costs about 4% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mexicali and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Mexicali 20% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.98 MX$210

$6.16 COP 20.1K

94.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.06 MX$562

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-1.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.43 MX$113

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-12.40%

Cappuccino

$2.66 MX$46.72

$1.72 COP 5,600

54.65%

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

$1.15 MX$20.17

$1.05 COP 3,420

9.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.90

$0.77 COP 2,515

18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 MX$23.66

$1.69 COP 5,488

-20.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 MX$70.2

$3.17 COP 10.3K

26.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 MX$20.40

$1.05 COP 3,423

10.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 MX$40.60

$1.30 COP 4,236

77.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.68

$1.40 COP 4,544

4.29%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.48

$2.16 COP 7,047

19.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.33 MX$40.89

$4.39 COP 14.3K

-46.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.91 MX$104

$5.88 COP 19.1K

0.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.30 MX$110

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-27.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 MX$27.16

$2.28 COP 7,426

-32.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 MX$22.89

$1.11 COP 3,604

17.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 MX$23.71

$1.53 COP 4,983

-11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.51

$1.35 COP 4,410

20.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 MX$22.49

$1.13 COP 3,674

13.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 MX$22.71

$1.13 COP 3,692

14.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 MX$19.43

$0.85 COP 2,753

30.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 MX$13.45

$0.91 COP 2,975

-15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.88 MX$68.1

$2.34 COP 7,630

65.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.50 MX$149

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-31.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 MX$33.60

$1.20 COP 3,909

60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 MX$57.0

$2.49 COP 8,104

30.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 MX$17.94

$0.84 COP 2,728

21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.46 MX$604

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-15.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 MX$49.57

$1.42 COP 4,623

99.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 MX$27.04

$1.92 COP 6,235

-19.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$57.0

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-57.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.87

$0.99 COP 3,223

31.31%

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

$23.6K MX$413.7K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

30.80%

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

$20.8K MX$365.1K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-21.82%

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

$55.7 MX$978

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-31.04%

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

$22.48 MX$394

$9.95 COP 32.4K

125.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.78 MX$557

$24.18 COP 78.7K

31.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.69 MX$661

$25.08 COP 81.7K

50.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.71 MX$275

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-17.96%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 MX$68.7

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-1.51%

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

$207 MX$3,623

$305 COP 993.5K

-32.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,769 MX$48.6K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-54.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.83 MX$471

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-53.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.52 MX$553

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-2.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 MX$1,303

$101 COP 327.9K

-26.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.6 MX$1,220

$108 COP 350.8K

-35.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 MX$11.3K

$477 COP 1.6M

35.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 MX$6,858

$376 COP 1.2M

3.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,176 MX$20.6K

$845 COP 2.7M

39.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 MX$11.4K

$730 COP 2.4M

-10.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,735 MX$48.0K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-14.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,521 MX$26.7K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

10.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$911 MX$16.0K

$617 COP 2.0M

47.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

13.43

-14.37%

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

Last update for Mexicali: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $645 in Mexicali versus $477 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 48% higher in Mexicali, 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 $32.00 in Mexicali versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $189 vs $193 – making Mexicali 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

Mexicali vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexicali is pricier by about 4%, 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 $1,601 per month in Mexicali and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $32.00 in Mexicali and $33.00 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 $1,067 in Mexicali and $1,031 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Mexicali at $1,067. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexicali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexicali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.