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 $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,509 per month in Morelia vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,075 per month in Morelia vs $2,192 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 30% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.54 MX$132

$5.99 COP 21.5K

25.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.36 MX$565

$32.86 COP 118.1K

-1.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.51 MX$114

$7.09 COP 25.5K

-8.18%

Cappuccino

$3.26 MX$57.0

$1.71 COP 6,154

90.64%

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

$0.96 MX$16.84

$1.10 COP 3,949

-12.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.46

$0.78 COP 2,798

42.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 MX$36.11

$1.68 COP 6,035

23.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 MX$66.1

$3.07 COP 11.0K

23.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 MX$28.93

$1.09 COP 3,930

52.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 MX$46.79

$1.26 COP 4,536

112.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.43

$1.38 COP 4,953

18.12%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.54

$2.19 COP 7,876

19.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.18 MX$125

$4.40 COP 15.8K

63.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 MX$144

$5.63 COP 20.2K

46.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.32 MX$198

$8.89 COP 32.0K

27.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 MX$50.8

$2.34 COP 8,401

24.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MX$24.43

$1.06 COP 3,801

32.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$1.50 COP 5,408

-7.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.71

$1.38 COP 4,955

47.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.54

$1.15 COP 4,137

86.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 MX$39.21

$1.16 COP 4,181

93.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 MX$19.80

$0.89 COP 3,202

26.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.70

$0.84 COP 3,016

34.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 MX$50.9

$2.28 COP 8,196

27.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 MX$194

$10.64 COP 38.2K

4.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 MX$27.14

$1.20 COP 4,311

29.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 MX$36.46

$2.47 COP 8,880

-15.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.86 COP 3,075

-37.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.94 MX$418

$41.40 COP 148.8K

-42.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.25

$1.47 COP 5,297

-5.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 MX$27.98

$1.96 COP 7,053

-18.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.7

$7.74 COP 27.8K

-32.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$22.31

$0.95 COP 3,430

34.74%

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

$13.3K MX$232.6K

$18.1K COP 65.2M

-26.53%

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

$15.8K MX$276.4K

$26.5K COP 95.2M

-40.26%

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

$40.57 MX$709

$82.3 COP 295.6K

-50.67%

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

$20.61 MX$360

$9.50 COP 34.1K

116.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.18 MX$492

$24.23 COP 87.1K

16.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 MX$894

$25.89 COP 93.0K

97.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.78 MX$258

$19.00 COP 68.3K

-22.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 MX$72.7

$3.93 COP 14.1K

5.85%

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

$184 MX$3,205

$309 COP 1.1M

-40.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,234 MX$56.5K

$5,965 COP 21.4M

-45.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.96 MX$768

$58.7 COP 210.8K

-25.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.43 MX$531

$32.35 COP 116.2K

-5.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.9 MX$1,448

$103 COP 368.7K

-19.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 MX$1,860

$108 COP 389.6K

-1.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$339 MX$5,912

$476 COP 1.7M

-28.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 MX$4,022

$379 COP 1.4M

-39.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,013 MX$17.7K

$838 COP 3.0M

20.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 MX$8,315

$724 COP 2.6M

-34.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,721 MX$30.1K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-38.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$685 MX$12.0K

$1,211 COP 4.4M

-43.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$693 MX$12.1K

$512 COP 1.8M

35.49%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $339 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 35% 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 $32.00 in Morelia versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $259 in Morelia vs $188 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 $1,416 per month in Morelia 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 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 $1,013 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 $1,013. 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.