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 $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $1,014 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,342 per month in Mexico City vs $1,596 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Mexico City vs $2,178 in Medellin, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 46% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.29 MX$230

$6.14 COP 22.1K

116.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$931

$33.05 COP 119.0K

62.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 MX$161

$7.32 COP 26.4K

26.91%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.5

$1.66 COP 5,973

117.47%

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

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.10 COP 3,978

41.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.42

$0.78 COP 2,816

43.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$1.71 COP 6,174

83.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 MX$81.5

$3.17 COP 11.4K

48.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$1.11 COP 4,003

53.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 MX$47.92

$1.31 COP 4,709

111.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.97

$1.38 COP 4,969

42.03%

Eggs

$2.60 MX$45.11

$2.22 COP 7,992

17.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 MX$172

$4.34 COP 15.6K

129.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 MX$140

$5.80 COP 20.9K

39.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.50 MX$199

$8.98 COP 32.3K

28.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MX$49.72

$2.26 COP 8,146

26.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MX$30.00

$1.11 COP 4,014

55.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.65

$1.46 COP 5,273

36.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.30

$1.37 COP 4,918

48.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.06

$1.11 COP 4,000

87.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 MX$38.03

$1.16 COP 4,190

89.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 MX$25.18

$0.89 COP 3,204

62.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$0.87 COP 3,117

22.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$2.35 COP 8,476

81.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.32 MX$248

$10.86 COP 39.1K

31.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.55

$1.20 COP 4,321

46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 MX$64.1

$2.48 COP 8,927

49.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.11

$0.79 COP 2,836

-55.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$332

$40.77 COP 146.8K

-52.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 MX$23.13

$1.42 COP 5,125

-5.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.82

$1.91 COP 6,885

-85.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 MX$92.4

$7.65 COP 27.6K

-30.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.22

$0.97 COP 3,482

38.14%

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

$19.1K MX$331.2K

$18.1K COP 65.2M

5.67%

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

$23.9K MX$413.6K

$26.3K COP 94.8M

-9.24%

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

$39.86 MX$690

$81.3 COP 292.9K

-50.98%

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

$26.78 MX$464

$9.63 COP 34.7K

178.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.36 MX$509

$24.36 COP 87.8K

20.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$925

$26.02 COP 93.7K

105.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.09 MX$452

$18.92 COP 68.1K

37.90%

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 MX$111

$3.89 COP 14.0K

64.52%

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

$440 MX$7,629

$304 COP 1.1M

44.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K MX$186.2K

$5,902 COP 21.3M

82.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 MX$998

$58.7 COP 211.4K

-1.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.02 MX$780

$32.48 COP 117.0K

38.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,797

$102 COP 366.5K

1.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,870

$108 COP 389.6K

-0.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,013 MX$17.5K

$474 COP 1.7M

113.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 MX$10.9K

$371 COP 1.3M

69.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,162 MX$37.4K

$848 COP 3.1M

154.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 MX$21.2K

$716 COP 2.6M

70.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,793 MX$65.7K

$2,871 COP 10.3M

32.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.4K

$1,375 COP 5.0M

69.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,075 MX$18.6K

$542 COP 2.0M

98.48%

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: April 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,013 in Mexico City versus $474 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 98% 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 in Mexico City versus $33 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $190 – 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 46%, 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 $2,226 per month in Mexico City and $1,522 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 $1,484 in Mexico City and $1,014 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 $1,014, than in Mexico City at $1,484. 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.