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 $1,012 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,386 per month in Mexico City vs $1,597 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,287 per month in Mexico City vs $2,181 in Medellin, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 47% 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

$13.44 MX$232

$5.91 COP 22.3K

127.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$922

$32.76 COP 123.6K

63.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.76 MX$168

$7.43 COP 28.0K

31.36%

Cappuccino

$3.73 MX$64.2

$1.70 COP 6,414

119.41%

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

$1.56 MX$26.95

$1.09 COP 4,128

43.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.42

$0.76 COP 2,882

48.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.4

$1.72 COP 6,499

83.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 MX$81.0

$3.06 COP 11.6K

53.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.37

$1.07 COP 4,036

54.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 MX$46.11

$1.31 COP 4,933

104.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 MX$33.91

$1.33 COP 5,032

48.12%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.01

$2.19 COP 8,267

14.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$173

$4.41 COP 16.6K

127.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.28 MX$143

$5.91 COP 22.3K

40.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.54 MX$199

$8.82 COP 33.3K

30.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MX$50.4

$2.27 COP 8,551

28.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.59

$1.08 COP 4,059

64.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.53

$1.52 COP 5,732

35.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.62

$1.36 COP 5,143

52.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.07

$1.11 COP 4,175

93.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.47

$1.18 COP 4,457

83.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 MX$24.83

$0.83 COP 3,116

73.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.71

$0.86 COP 3,252

26.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 MX$74.7

$2.31 COP 8,732

87.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.61 MX$252

$10.28 COP 38.8K

42.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.25

$1.15 COP 4,341

53.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$63.4

$2.46 COP 9,286

49.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.56

$0.79 COP 2,994

-51.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.84 MX$325

$41.87 COP 157.9K

-55.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$23.96

$1.42 COP 5,355

-2.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.21

$1.96 COP 7,383

-84.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.50 MX$94.7

$7.72 COP 29.1K

-28.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$22.07

$1.00 COP 3,766

28.00%

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

$18.8K MX$323.6K

$17.8K COP 67.3M

5.32%

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

$23.9K MX$412.0K

$26.8K COP 101.0M

-10.72%

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

$39.83 MX$686

$83.0 COP 313.2K

-52.03%

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

$27.24 MX$469

$9.94 COP 37.5K

174.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.48 MX$508

$24.27 COP 91.5K

21.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 MX$925

$25.24 COP 95.2K

112.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.60 MX$458

$19.20 COP 72.4K

38.54%

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 MX$108

$3.90 COP 14.7K

61.03%

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

$440 MX$7,589

$311 COP 1.2M

41.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K MX$183.3K

$5,926 COP 22.4M

79.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.6 MX$975

$58.4 COP 220.4K

-3.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.59 MX$768

$32.50 COP 122.6K

37.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,756

$100 COP 379.1K

1.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,833

$105 COP 395.5K

1.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 MX$17.6K

$478 COP 1.8M

113.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 MX$10.9K

$376 COP 1.4M

68.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$35.9K

$848 COP 3.2M

146.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 MX$21.1K

$708 COP 2.7M

73.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,914 MX$67.4K

$2,803 COP 10.6M

39.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,118 MX$36.5K

$1,197 COP 4.5M

76.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,123 MX$19.4K

$521 COP 2.0M

115.40%

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 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 10, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,020 in Mexico City versus $478 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 115% 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: $286 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 47%, 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 $2,227 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 $1,484 in Mexico City and $1,012 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 $1,012, 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.