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 $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

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

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$230

$5.99 COP 21.5K

120.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$941

$32.86 COP 118.1K

64.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$165

$7.09 COP 25.5K

32.86%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$62.0

$1.71 COP 6,155

107.60%

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

$1.62 MX$28.25

$1.10 COP 3,950

47.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.46

$0.78 COP 2,799

42.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.5

$1.68 COP 6,037

85.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.8

$3.07 COP 11.0K

50.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.71

$1.09 COP 3,931

55.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.47

$1.26 COP 4,537

115.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.39

$1.38 COP 4,955

38.41%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.28

$2.19 COP 7,878

15.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$175

$4.40 COP 15.8K

127.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$141

$5.63 COP 20.2K

43.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$203

$8.89 COP 32.0K

30.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.8

$2.34 COP 8,403

26.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.06 COP 3,802

70.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$35.15

$1.50 COP 5,409

34.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.53

$1.38 COP 4,956

47.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$37.10

$1.15 COP 4,138

84.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.63

$1.16 COP 4,183

95.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.45

$0.89 COP 3,203

57.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.74

$0.84 COP 3,016

34.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.6

$2.28 COP 8,198

87.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$272

$10.64 COP 38.3K

46.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.68

$1.20 COP 4,312

46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.8

$2.47 COP 8,882

45.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.69

$0.86 COP 3,076

-55.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$335

$41.40 COP 148.8K

-53.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.02

$1.47 COP 5,298

-6.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.83

$1.96 COP 7,055

-85.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$95.1

$7.74 COP 27.8K

-29.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.77

$0.95 COP 3,431

36.84%

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

$18.7K MX$326.3K

$18.1K COP 65.2M

3.07%

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

$23.1K MX$403.9K

$26.5K COP 95.2M

-12.67%

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

$40.86 MX$714

$82.3 COP 295.7K

-50.32%

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

$26.81 MX$468

$9.50 COP 34.2K

182.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$523

$24.23 COP 87.1K

23.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$908

$25.89 COP 93.0K

100.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$469

$19.00 COP 68.3K

41.26%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$110

$3.93 COP 14.1K

60.31%

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

$436 MX$7,616

$309 COP 1.1M

40.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$181.9K

$5,965 COP 21.4M

74.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$989

$58.7 COP 210.8K

-3.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$775

$32.35 COP 116.3K

37.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,797

$103 COP 368.8K

0.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,843

$108 COP 389.7K

-2.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.8K

$476 COP 1.7M

114.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$11.0K

$379 COP 1.4M

66.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.3K

$838 COP 3.0M

154.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.7K

$724 COP 2.6M

71.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$68.2K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

39.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$36.0K

$1,211 COP 4.4M

70.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.5K

$512 COP 1.8M

117.88%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 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 118% 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: $288 vs $188 – 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 $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $1,519 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 $1,467 in Mexico City and $1,013 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 $1,013, than in Mexico City at $1,467. 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.