Cost of Living Comparison Between Oaxaca de Juarez and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Oaxaca de Juarez and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,054 per month in Oaxaca de Juarez vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,618 per month in Oaxaca de Juarez vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,183 per month in Oaxaca de Juarez vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Oaxaca de Juarez costs about 5% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Oaxaca de Juarez and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Oaxaca de Juarez 21% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.75 MX$99.5

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-2.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.97 MX$467

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-18.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 MX$141

$7.43 COP 23.4K

9.83%

Cappuccino

$2.68 MX$46.30

$1.65 COP 5,207

62.42%

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

$1.24 MX$21.40

$1.10 COP 3,468

12.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 MX$12.81

$0.78 COP 2,458

-5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 MX$39.36

$1.72 COP 5,412

31.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 MX$60.5

$3.18 COP 10.0K

10.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.44

$1.10 COP 3,474

18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 MX$46.55

$1.26 COP 3,962

113.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 MX$18.03

$1.38 COP 4,349

-24.64%

Eggs

$1.61 MX$27.89

$2.18 COP 6,858

-26.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.36 MX$110

$4.49 COP 14.1K

41.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.81 MX$83.3

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-16.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.97 MX$190

$8.97 COP 28.2K

22.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 MX$37.09

$2.32 COP 7,308

-7.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 MX$20.26

$1.06 COP 3,352

10.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.23

$1.52 COP 4,774

7.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$1.36 COP 4,270

-60.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.74

$1.13 COP 3,552

87.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.31

$1.17 COP 3,689

54.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.00

$0.90 COP 2,838

15.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 MX$13.78

$0.90 COP 2,823

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 MX$72.4

$2.23 COP 7,034

87.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.05 MX$174

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-17.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 MX$22.56

$1.19 COP 3,743

9.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 MX$49.42

$2.48 COP 7,815

15.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.47

$0.85 COP 2,687

-35.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 MX$45.82

$1.42 COP 4,459

86.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.53

$1.95 COP 6,141

26.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.60 MX$183

$7.89 COP 24.8K

34.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 MX$21.34

$0.99 COP 3,118

24.24%

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

$22.6K MX$391.6K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

28.60%

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

$24.2K MX$418.6K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-9.72%

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

$68.7 MX$1,189

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-17.23%

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

$10.76 MX$186

$9.70 COP 30.5K

10.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.26 MX$420

$23.52 COP 74.1K

3.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.31 MX$542

$25.26 COP 79.5K

23.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.86 MX$274

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-16.96%

Cinema Ticket

$5.36 MX$92.8

$3.95 COP 12.4K

35.70%

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

$374 MX$6,468

$316 COP 994.2K

18.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,630 MX$62.8K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-39.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.69 MX$669

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-35.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.4 MX$1,045

$31.82 COP 100.2K

89.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.2 MX$1,127

$102 COP 320.1K

-35.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 MX$1,756

$107 COP 338.3K

-5.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 MX$10.3K

$475 COP 1.5M

25.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 MX$7,422

$374 COP 1.2M

14.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 MX$18.2K

$849 COP 2.7M

23.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$857 MX$14.8K

$719 COP 2.3M

19.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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 Oaxaca de Juarez: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $594 in Oaxaca de Juarez versus $475 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 $27.00 in Oaxaca de Juarez versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $210 in Oaxaca de Juarez vs $193 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

Oaxaca de Juarez vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Oaxaca de Juarez is pricier by about 5%, 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 $1,580 per month in Oaxaca de Juarez and $1,504 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 $27.00 in Oaxaca de Juarez 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 8% more in Oaxaca de Juarez, 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 $1,003, than in Oaxaca de Juarez at $1,054. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Oaxaca de Juarez 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, Oaxaca de Juarez makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.