Cost of Living Comparison Between Miguel Hidalgo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Miguel Hidalgo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,124 per month in Miguel Hidalgo vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,885 per month in Miguel Hidalgo vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,646 per month in Miguel Hidalgo vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Miguel Hidalgo costs about 11% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Miguel Hidalgo and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Miguel Hidalgo 16% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.69 MX$185

$5.99 COP 21.4K

78.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.2 MX$1,442

$32.86 COP 117.2K

153.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 MX$136

$7.09 COP 25.3K

10.86%

Cappuccino

$3.33 MX$57.8

$1.71 COP 6,105

94.74%

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

$1.23 MX$21.37

$1.10 COP 3,918

11.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 MX$17.00

$0.78 COP 2,776

25.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 MX$40.12

$1.68 COP 5,987

38.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 MX$98.8

$3.07 COP 10.9K

85.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 MX$25.94

$1.09 COP 3,899

37.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 MX$43.35

$1.26 COP 4,500

98.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.17

$1.38 COP 4,914

13.77%

Eggs

$2.39 MX$41.47

$2.19 COP 7,813

9.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$143

$4.40 COP 15.7K

87.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.90 MX$154

$5.63 COP 20.1K

58.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$8.89 COP 31.7K

20.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 MX$44.69

$2.34 COP 8,334

10.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.35

$1.06 COP 3,771

37.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 MX$29.93

$1.50 COP 5,365

15.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 MX$27.69

$1.38 COP 4,915

15.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.16

$1.15 COP 4,104

61.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.29

$1.16 COP 4,148

65.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MX$20.95

$0.89 COP 3,176

35.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 MX$17.80

$0.84 COP 2,992

22.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$74.4

$2.28 COP 8,131

88.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.71 MX$186

$10.64 COP 37.9K

0.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 MX$27.68

$1.20 COP 4,276

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 MX$47.28

$2.47 COP 8,809

10.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MX$11.42

$0.86 COP 3,051

-23.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 MX$46.00

$1.47 COP 5,255

80.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 MX$27.61

$1.96 COP 6,997

-18.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 MX$142

$7.74 COP 27.6K

5.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 MX$21.71

$0.95 COP 3,403

31.58%

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

$21.1K MX$366.0K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

16.50%

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

$22.3K MX$385.6K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-15.98%

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

$29.30 MX$508

$82.3 COP 293.2K

-64.38%

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

$22.31 MX$387

$9.50 COP 33.9K

134.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.75 MX$533

$24.23 COP 86.4K

26.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.80 MX$776

$25.89 COP 92.3K

73.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.15 MX$280

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-15.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.57 MX$79.3

$3.93 COP 14.0K

16.28%

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

$207 MX$3,594

$309 COP 1.1M

-32.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,640 MX$63.1K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-38.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.7 MX$1,259

$58.7 COP 209.1K

23.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.35 MX$699

$32.35 COP 115.3K

24.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 MX$1,581

$103 COP 365.7K

-11.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.2 MX$1,373

$108 COP 386.5K

-26.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$510 MX$8,830

$476 COP 1.7M

7.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 MX$6,905

$379 COP 1.4M

5.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$937 MX$16.2K

$838 COP 3.0M

11.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$766 MX$13.3K

$724 COP 2.6M

5.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,922 MX$33.3K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-31.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,277 MX$22.1K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

5.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$573 MX$9,924

$512 COP 1.8M

11.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

13.43

-14.52%

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

Last update for Miguel Hidalgo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $510 in Miguel Hidalgo 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 12% higher in Miguel Hidalgo, 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 $83.0 in Miguel Hidalgo versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 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

Miguel Hidalgo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Miguel Hidalgo is pricier by about 11%, 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 $1,686 per month in Miguel Hidalgo 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 $83.0 in Miguel Hidalgo and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% more in Miguel Hidalgo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Miguel Hidalgo at $1,124. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Miguel Hidalgo 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Miguel Hidalgo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.