Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,481 per month in Mexico City vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,352 per month in Mexico City vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,222 per month in Mexico City vs $2,200 in Medellin, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 45% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 MX$229

$5.93 COP 19.1K

121.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 MX$933

$33.12 COP 106.4K

61.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 MX$166

$7.12 COP 22.9K

34.13%

Cappuccino

$3.72 MX$64.8

$1.71 COP 5,480

117.54%

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

$1.57 MX$27.28

$1.05 COP 3,370

49.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.12

$0.72 COP 2,321

61.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.4

$1.72 COP 5,524

84.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.6

$3.17 COP 10.2K

46.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.68

$1.06 COP 3,422

61.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 MX$45.54

$1.31 COP 4,209

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.87

$1.33 COP 4,273

42.11%

Eggs

$2.60 MX$45.17

$2.28 COP 7,328

14.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 MX$172

$4.42 COP 14.2K

124.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.22 MX$143

$5.92 COP 19.0K

38.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.78 MX$205

$8.64 COP 27.8K

36.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 MX$52.1

$2.34 COP 7,535

28.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.32

$1.10 COP 3,541

63.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.09

$1.47 COP 4,718

40.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.23

$1.38 COP 4,433

42.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.06

$1.17 COP 3,769

76.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.84

$1.17 COP 3,760

85.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.42

$0.90 COP 2,902

55.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.84 COP 2,704

27.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 MX$71.7

$2.33 COP 7,480

76.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.42 MX$303

$11.92 COP 38.3K

46.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.16

$1.15 COP 3,688

46.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 MX$63.5

$2.42 COP 7,780

50.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.84 COP 2,698

-54.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.71 MX$326

$40.83 COP 131.2K

-54.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.13

$1.41 COP 4,535

-5.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.27

$1.91 COP 6,152

-84.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 MX$95.9

$7.83 COP 25.1K

-29.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.72

$0.94 COP 3,033

39.36%

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

$19.2K MX$333.6K

$17.8K COP 57.3M

7.57%

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

$23.7K MX$413.3K

$27.1K COP 87.0M

-12.31%

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

$41.14 MX$716

$83.3 COP 267.5K

-50.59%

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

$27.74 MX$483

$9.66 COP 31.0K

187.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.13 MX$524

$24.22 COP 77.8K

24.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 MX$935

$25.22 COP 81.1K

113.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.98 MX$452

$19.33 COP 62.1K

34.40%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 MX$113

$4.07 COP 13.1K

59.46%

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

$437 MX$7,599

$307 COP 985.2K

42.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.0K

$5,981 COP 19.2M

74.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,015

$60.0 COP 192.6K

-2.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.86 MX$798

$32.65 COP 104.9K

40.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MX$1,765

$101 COP 324.8K

0.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 MX$1,854

$108 COP 347.2K

-1.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 MX$17.5K

$476 COP 1.5M

111.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 MX$11.0K

$379 COP 1.2M

67.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 MX$37.4K

$816 COP 2.6M

163.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 MX$21.7K

$707 COP 2.3M

76.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,859 MX$67.2K

$3,190 COP 10.2M

20.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,085 MX$36.3K

$1,446 COP 4.6M

44.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,072 MX$18.7K

$622 COP 2.0M

72.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

13.43

-15.56%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 22, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,005 in Mexico City versus $476 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 72% higher in Mexico City, 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $192 – making Medellin 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

Mexico City vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 45%, 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 $2,222 per month in Mexico City and $1,527 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 $54.0 in Mexico City 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 $1,481 in Mexico City and $1,018 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 $1,018, than in Mexico City at $1,481. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City 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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.