Cost of Living Comparison Between Nogales and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Nogales and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,220 per month in Nogales vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,928 per month in Nogales vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,637 per month in Nogales vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Nogales is about 27% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Nogales sits 11% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.70 MX$201

$8.02 COP 25.3K

45.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.01 MX$807

$47.87 COP 151.0K

-1.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 MX$138

$9.89 COP 31.2K

-18.40%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$62.2

$3.13 COP 9,873

15.65%

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

$1.39 MX$23.87

$1.91 COP 6,019

-27.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.88

$1.51 COP 4,763

-23.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 MX$50.4

$3.12 COP 9,853

-6.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.2

$5.75 COP 18.1K

-15.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 MX$30.21

$1.44 COP 4,558

22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 MX$45.48

$2.49 COP 7,843

6.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 MX$28.25

$1.77 COP 5,595

-6.78%

Eggs

$2.63 MX$45.21

$2.96 COP 9,336

-11.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 MX$161

$10.07 COP 31.8K

-6.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.92 MX$136

$10.12 COP 31.9K

-21.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 MX$192

$14.30 COP 45.1K

-21.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$45.51

$4.14 COP 13.0K

-35.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 MX$31.44

$1.61 COP 5,073

13.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 MX$35.96

$2.25 COP 7,083

-6.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 MX$29.96

$2.25 COP 7,104

-22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.17

$2.04 COP 6,444

-2.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.22

$1.54 COP 4,842

33.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 MX$22.37

$1.17 COP 3,691

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.42

$1.31 COP 4,121

-13.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.5

$3.90 COP 12.3K

6.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.21 MX$210

$14.01 COP 44.2K

-12.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 MX$33.46

$1.74 COP 5,498

12.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$61.7

$2.87 COP 9,053

25.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 MX$10.58

$1.22 COP 3,834

-49.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 MX$54.4

$1.31 COP 4,129

141.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 MX$37.74

$2.19 COP 6,899

0.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.96 MX$205

$8.71 COP 27.5K

37.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$25.84

$1.37 COP 4,306

10.22%

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

$23.8K MX$409.0K

$27.8K COP 87.8M

-14.39%

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

$22.1K MX$379.4K

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-38.21%

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

$55.4 MX$950

$177 COP 559.3K

-68.78%

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

$25.89 MX$444

$13.88 COP 43.8K

86.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.94 MX$462

$29.72 COP 93.8K

-9.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.45 MX$712

$44.88 COP 141.6K

-7.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.02 MX$412

$17.12 COP 54.0K

40.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.24 MX$89.9

$6.65 COP 21.0K

-21.20%

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

$226 MX$3,876

$813 COP 2.6M

-72.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,341 MX$91.7K

$9,187 COP 29.0M

-41.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 MX$1,122

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-26.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.27 MX$794

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-21.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 MX$2,111

$138 COP 435.9K

-11.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 MX$1,348

$102 COP 322.1K

-23.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 MX$10.6K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-41.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 MX$6,386

$663 COP 2.1M

-43.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$945 MX$16.2K

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-49.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$828 MX$14.2K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-19.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,151 MX$36.9K

$4,183 COP 13.2M

-48.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,384 MX$23.8K

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-17.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

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 Nogales: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Nogales versus $1,062 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Nogales versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $305 – making Nogales 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

Nogales vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 38%, 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 $1,830 per month in Nogales and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nogales, 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 $47.00 in Nogales and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nogales, where all-in costs run around $1,220, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Nogales it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nogales – 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 Nogales. 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.