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 $1,646 per month in Mexico City vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,613 per month in Mexico City vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,580 per month in Mexico City vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Mexico City is about 4% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mexico City and Medellin sit above the global median – Mexico City by 20%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$204

$8.03 COP 25.1K

50.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$881

$48.26 COP 150.8K

8.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$9.77 COP 30.5K

11.57%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.4

$2.91 COP 9,095

39.18%

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

$1.72 MX$28.95

$1.94 COP 6,074

-11.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.25

$1.52 COP 4,754

-9.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.5

$3.09 COP 9,663

12.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.1

$5.74 COP 17.9K

1.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.28

$1.36 COP 4,262

36.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.4

$2.39 COP 7,460

34.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.20

$1.70 COP 5,314

22.94%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.10

$2.87 COP 8,967

1.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$9.94 COP 31.1K

25.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$10.78 COP 33.7K

-6.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$268

$14.73 COP 46.0K

7.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-19.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.90

$1.57 COP 4,911

35.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.97

$2.13 COP 6,642

2.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.31

$2.21 COP 6,917

10.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.95

$2.05 COP 6,396

6.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.15

$1.50 COP 4,700

26.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.26

$1.19 COP 3,718

36.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.78

$1.16 COP 3,619

16.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.6

$3.90 COP 12.2K

39.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$14.44 COP 45.1K

21.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.90

$1.58 COP 4,948

31.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.1

$2.83 COP 8,836

67.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.74

$1.17 COP 3,650

-70.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$364

$77.7 COP 242.9K

-72.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.44

$1.28 COP 4,014

59.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.75

$2.09 COP 6,537

-72.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$8.62 COP 26.9K

-30.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.27

$1.30 COP 4,056

24.62%

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

$22.8K MX$385.0K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

-17.52%

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

$26.7K MX$450.0K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-24.92%

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

$65.2 MX$1,101

$176 COP 550.1K

-62.95%

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

$29.87 MX$504

$13.37 COP 41.8K

123.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$617

$29.89 COP 93.4K

22.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,030

$44.76 COP 139.8K

36.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

$17.06 COP 53.3K

56.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$6.20 COP 19.4K

10.48%

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

$453 MX$7,652

$793 COP 2.5M

-42.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$225.7K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

48.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,265

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-12.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$933

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-5.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,917

$136 COP 425.9K

-16.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,070

$103 COP 322.2K

18.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.1K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

6.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$680 COP 2.1M

4.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.4K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

27.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.1K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

12.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.4K

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-2.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$1,701 COP 5.3M

23.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$665 COP 2.1M

57.37%

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: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,134 in Mexico City versus $1,060 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 57% 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $303 – 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,469 per month in Mexico City and $2,574 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 $52.0 in Mexico City and $48.00 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 $1,646 in Mexico City and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,646, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.