Cost of Living Comparison Between Morelia and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Morelia and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $951 per month in Morelia vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,519 per month in Morelia vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,088 per month in Morelia vs $2,200 in Medellin, rent included.

Morelia is about 7% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Morelia and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Morelia 29% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.24 MX$126

$5.93 COP 19.0K

22.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.31 MX$545

$33.12 COP 106.0K

-5.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.50 MX$113

$7.12 COP 22.8K

-8.71%

Cappuccino

$3.33 MX$57.9

$1.71 COP 5,457

94.74%

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

$0.89 MX$15.50

$1.05 COP 3,356

-15.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.25

$0.72 COP 2,311

54.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 MX$36.09

$1.72 COP 5,502

20.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 MX$63.9

$3.17 COP 10.2K

15.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.64

$1.06 COP 3,408

55.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 MX$46.23

$1.31 COP 4,192

103.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.03

$1.33 COP 4,256

21.05%

Eggs

$2.63 MX$45.69

$2.28 COP 7,298

15.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.18 MX$125

$4.42 COP 14.1K

62.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.33 MX$145

$5.92 COP 18.9K

40.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.30 MX$197

$8.64 COP 27.7K

30.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$50.3

$2.34 COP 7,504

23.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.13

$1.10 COP 3,527

30.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 MX$24.34

$1.47 COP 4,698

-4.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.69

$1.38 COP 4,415

44.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.61

$1.17 COP 3,754

75.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.72

$1.17 COP 3,744

85.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 MX$19.53

$0.90 COP 2,890

24.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.57

$0.84 COP 2,693

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 MX$52.6

$2.33 COP 7,449

29.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.03 MX$192

$11.92 COP 38.1K

-7.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 MX$26.99

$1.15 COP 3,673

34.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.91

$2.42 COP 7,749

-14.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.05

$0.84 COP 2,687

-38.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.67 MX$412

$40.83 COP 130.7K

-42.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.17

$1.41 COP 4,517

-1.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 MX$26.81

$1.91 COP 6,127

-19.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.15 MX$89.6

$7.83 COP 25.0K

-34.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.14

$0.94 COP 3,020

35.11%

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

$13.4K MX$232.6K

$17.8K COP 57.0M

-24.97%

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

$15.6K MX$270.7K

$27.1K COP 86.7M

-42.56%

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

$40.57 MX$706

$83.3 COP 266.4K

-51.27%

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

$21.26 MX$370

$9.66 COP 30.9K

120.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.69 MX$499

$24.22 COP 77.5K

18.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$897

$25.22 COP 80.7K

104.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.42 MX$251

$19.33 COP 61.9K

-25.40%

Cinema Ticket

$4.12 MX$71.8

$4.07 COP 13.0K

1.23%

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

$185 MX$3,221

$307 COP 981.2K

-39.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,167 MX$55.1K

$5,981 COP 19.1M

-47.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.22 MX$769

$60.0 COP 191.9K

-26.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.92 MX$521

$32.65 COP 104.5K

-8.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 MX$1,439

$101 COP 323.5K

-18.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 MX$1,856

$108 COP 345.7K

-1.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$329 MX$5,717

$476 COP 1.5M

-30.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$234 MX$4,068

$379 COP 1.2M

-38.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,017 MX$17.7K

$816 COP 2.6M

24.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 MX$8,212

$707 COP 2.3M

-33.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,749 MX$30.4K

$3,190 COP 10.2M

-45.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$677 MX$11.8K

$1,446 COP 4.6M

-53.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$701 MX$12.2K

$622 COP 2.0M

12.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.25

13.43

-16.23%

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

Last update for Morelia: July 21, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $329 in Morelia 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 13% higher in Morelia, 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 $31.00 in Morelia versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Morelia vs $192 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Morelia vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Morelia and $1,527 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Morelia, 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 $31.00 in Morelia 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 $951 in Morelia and $1,018 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Morelia, where all-in costs run around $951, than in Medellin at $1,018. In Morelia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Morelia – 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 Morelia. 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.