Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Medellin

For one person, living costs are similar in Mexico City and in Medellin: $1,548 and $1,625 a month, rent and utilities included.

75

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
Learn more

Medellin Living Index

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Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,548

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,625

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,548 per month in Mexico City vs $1,625 in Medellin, rent included.

Mexico City $1,548
Medellin $1,625

A couple spends around $2,436 per month in Mexico City vs $2,412 in Medellin, rent included.

Mexico City $2,436
Medellin $2,412

A family of three spends $3,323 per month in Mexico City vs $3,199 in Medellin, rent included.

Mexico City $3,323
Medellin $3,199

Mexico City is about 5% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Mexico City and Medellin sit above the global median – Mexico City by 14%, Medellin by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 MX$204

$8.30 COP 26.3K

32.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.68 MX$900

$46.91 COP 148.7K

3.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$201

$9.24 COP 29.3K

17.97%

Cappuccino

$3.68 MX$68.1

$3.05 COP 9,676

20.66%

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

$1.63 MX$30.18

$1.80 COP 5,707

-9.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 MX$23.07

$1.38 COP 4,382

-9.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 MX$60.1

$3.24 COP 10.3K

0.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.53 MX$102

$5.56 COP 17.6K

-0.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$31.50

$1.50 COP 4,760

13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 MX$55.8

$2.37 COP 7,508

27.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 MX$35.53

$1.70 COP 5,377

12.94%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$50.5

$2.96 COP 9,379

-7.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.77 MX$218

$10.22 COP 32.4K

15.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 MX$176

$9.74 COP 30.9K

-2.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 MX$266

$13.90 COP 44.1K

3.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$55.8

$4.13 COP 13.1K

-26.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.01

$1.53 COP 4,839

23.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$36.70

$2.22 COP 7,052

-10.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$40.38

$2.27 COP 7,194

-3.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 MX$35.43

$1.99 COP 6,311

-3.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$34.49

$1.67 COP 5,285

11.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 MX$26.62

$1.18 COP 3,742

22.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.39

$1.24 COP 3,919

2.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.22 MX$96.4

$3.87 COP 12.3K

34.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.17 MX$299

$13.78 COP 43.7K

17.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 MX$35.03

$1.66 COP 5,256

14.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 MX$78.0

$2.40 COP 7,615

75.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$6.30

$1.24 COP 3,944

-72.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.65 MX$363

$78.2 COP 248.0K

-74.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 MX$36.90

$1.28 COP 4,044

56.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MX$9.67

$2.15 COP 6,803

-75.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.34 MX$98.7

$8.37 COP 26.5K

-36.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$28.13

$1.35 COP 4,288

12.59%

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

$22.1K MX$408.0K

$34.8K COP 110.2M

-36.49%

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

$24.5K MX$452.9K

$34.7K COP 110.0M

-29.34%

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

$61.1 MX$1,129

$167 COP 528.4K

-63.35%

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

$28.58 MX$528

$13.62 COP 43.2K

109.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.47 MX$637

$29.12 COP 92.3K

18.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 MX$1,042

$45.09 COP 143.0K

24.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.88 MX$460

$17.18 COP 54.5K

44.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.66 MX$123

$6.97 COP 22.1K

-4.45%

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

$427 MX$7,891

$790 COP 2.5M

-45.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K MX$215.0K

$9,041 COP 28.7M

28.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.8 MX$1,253

$87.8 COP 278.4K

-22.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 MX$960

$58.2 COP 184.4K

-10.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MX$1,959

$139 COP 440.7K

-23.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MX$2,080

$98.9 COP 313.5K

13.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,025 MX$18.9K

$1,028 COP 3.3M

-0.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 MX$12.1K

$620 COP 2.0M

5.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,308 MX$42.7K

$1,881 COP 6.0M

22.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 MX$22.9K

$1,008 COP 3.2M

23.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,613 MX$66.8K

$3,988 COP 12.6M

-9.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,936 MX$35.8K

$1,702 COP 5.4M

13.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$964 MX$17.8K

$663 COP 2.1M

45.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

10.94

3.29%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$654 42.3%

Medellin

$619 38.1% 5.3% $35

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$318 20.6%

Medellin

$298 18.3% 6.4% $20

Eating Out

Mexico City

$204 13.2%

Medellin

$171 10.5% 16.2% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$152 9.8%

Medellin

$173 10.6% 13.4% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$124 8%

Medellin

$209 12.9% 68.7% $85

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$70 4.5%

Medellin

$59 3.6% 15.3% $11

Getting Around

Mexico City

$26 1.7%

Medellin

$95 5.9% 271% $70

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,025 in Mexico City versus $1,028 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 45% higher in Mexico City, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Mexico City versus $47.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $298 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

07:17 7:17 AM

08:17 8:17 AM

1 h ahead of Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Mexico City Medellin 2,930 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 – Medellin is pricier by about 5%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,322 per month in Mexico City and $2,437 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, 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 $49.00 in Mexico City and $47.00 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 $1,548 in Mexico City and $1,625 in Medellin. That's a gap of about 5%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,548, than in Medellin at $1,625. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mexico City – 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 Mexico City. 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.