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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $944 per month in Morelia vs $1,030 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,501 per month in Morelia vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,059 per month in Morelia vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Morelia is about 8% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Morelia and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Morelia 30% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.26 MX$126

$5.92 COP 21.2K

22.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.62 MX$548

$33.17 COP 118.7K

-4.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.18 MX$107

$7.25 COP 25.9K

-14.76%

Cappuccino

$3.22 MX$55.8

$1.71 COP 6,137

88.30%

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

$0.89 MX$15.42

$1.09 COP 3,915

-18.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.15

$0.77 COP 2,743

50.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 MX$35.69

$1.75 COP 6,254

17.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 MX$65.1

$3.18 COP 11.4K

18.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 MX$28.73

$1.06 COP 3,792

56.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$46.33

$1.30 COP 4,657

105.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.88

$1.38 COP 4,926

16.67%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.29

$2.21 COP 7,908

13.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.23 MX$125

$4.52 COP 16.2K

59.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.13 MX$141

$5.80 COP 20.7K

40.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 MX$193

$8.97 COP 32.1K

24.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.5

$2.29 COP 8,182

29.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MX$24.86

$1.06 COP 3,791

34.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 MX$24.03

$1.51 COP 5,411

-7.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.60

$1.36 COP 4,869

47.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.16 COP 4,146

75.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.01

$1.17 COP 4,174

87.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 MX$20.22

$0.83 COP 2,960

40.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.69

$0.85 COP 3,043

27.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 MX$51.6

$2.35 COP 8,423

26.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.63 MX$202

$11.09 COP 39.7K

4.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 MX$26.79

$1.15 COP 4,133

34.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 MX$36.23

$2.47 COP 8,853

-15.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.47

$0.79 COP 2,827

-30.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.33 MX$404

$41.85 COP 149.8K

-44.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 MX$23.64

$1.44 COP 5,140

-5.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 MX$26.73

$1.90 COP 6,793

-18.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.15 MX$89.3

$7.70 COP 27.6K

-33.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.83

$1.03 COP 3,680

28.16%

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

$13.2K MX$228.0K

$17.7K COP 63.3M

-25.60%

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

$16.2K MX$279.9K

$27.0K COP 96.7M

-40.22%

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

$40.62 MX$704

$81.4 COP 291.4K

-50.11%

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

$20.53 MX$356

$9.42 COP 33.7K

117.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.22 MX$489

$23.77 COP 85.1K

18.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$906

$25.86 COP 92.6K

102.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.48 MX$251

$19.34 COP 69.2K

-25.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 MX$72.1

$4.05 COP 14.5K

2.72%

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

$183 MX$3,165

$312 COP 1.1M

-41.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,136 MX$54.3K

$6,067 COP 21.7M

-48.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.46 MX$753

$58.9 COP 210.7K

-26.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.28 MX$525

$32.82 COP 117.5K

-7.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.9 MX$1,420

$100 COP 359.6K

-18.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 MX$1,812

$106 COP 380.3K

-1.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$329 MX$5,710

$490 COP 1.8M

-32.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$229 MX$3,966

$371 COP 1.3M

-38.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,013 MX$17.6K

$838 COP 3.0M

20.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$485 MX$8,399

$715 COP 2.6M

-32.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,702 MX$29.5K

$2,952 COP 10.6M

-42.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$679 MX$11.8K

$1,394 COP 5.0M

-51.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$532 COP 1.9M

34.23%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $329 in Morelia versus $490 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 34% 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 $32 in Morelia versus $33 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Morelia vs $190 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 9%, 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 $1,417 per month in Morelia and $1,544 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 $32.00 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 $944 in Morelia and $1,030 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 $944, than in Medellin at $1,030. 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.