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 $1,046 per month in Oaxaca de Juarez vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,630 per month in Oaxaca de Juarez vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,214 per month in Oaxaca de Juarez vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Oaxaca de Juarez costs about 3% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Oaxaca de Juarez and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Oaxaca de Juarez 22% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 MX$102

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-0.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.52 MX$455

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-20.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 MX$139

$7.23 COP 25.2K

11.62%

Cappuccino

$2.57 MX$44.15

$1.63 COP 5,687

57.67%

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

$1.18 MX$20.32

$1.09 COP 3,821

8.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 MX$12.60

$0.73 COP 2,548

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 MX$37.85

$1.74 COP 6,065

27.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 MX$60.3

$3.23 COP 11.3K

8.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.26

$1.05 COP 3,662

23.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 MX$47.02

$1.29 COP 4,515

112.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 MX$18.37

$1.32 COP 4,617

-18.94%

Eggs

$1.60 MX$27.52

$2.27 COP 7,927

-29.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.23 MX$107

$4.35 COP 15.2K

43.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.63 MX$79.4

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-21.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 MX$191

$8.61 COP 30.0K

29.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.90

$2.25 COP 7,844

-4.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 MX$20.42

$1.07 COP 3,733

11.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 MX$29.03

$1.52 COP 5,322

11.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 MX$9.49

$1.42 COP 4,964

-61.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.41

$1.17 COP 4,084

86.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.10

$1.17 COP 4,077

59.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.49

$0.89 COP 3,096

21.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 MX$13.36

$0.90 COP 3,146

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.1

$2.25 COP 7,837

81.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.88 MX$170

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-10.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 MX$22.40

$1.14 COP 3,977

14.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 MX$47.91

$2.38 COP 8,301

17.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.38

$0.84 COP 2,916

-34.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 MX$45.28

$1.41 COP 4,912

87.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$42.83

$1.90 COP 6,634

31.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.75 COP 27.0K

37.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.96

$1.01 COP 3,509

26.73%

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

$22.8K MX$390.8K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

29.53%

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

$24.5K MX$420.4K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-7.54%

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

$66.2 MX$1,137

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-20.87%

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

$10.61 MX$182

$9.45 COP 33.0K

12.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.32 MX$400

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-3.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.32 MX$538

$25.31 COP 88.3K

23.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.18 MX$278

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-15.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.20 MX$89.3

$4.10 COP 14.3K

26.83%

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

$364 MX$6,245

$312 COP 1.1M

16.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,530 MX$60.6K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-41.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.31 MX$658

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-33.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.7 MX$1,007

$32.56 COP 113.6K

80.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.1 MX$1,152

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-32.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.4 MX$1,706

$109 COP 378.8K

-8.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 MX$10.1K

$482 COP 1.7M

22.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 MX$7,390

$379 COP 1.3M

13.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,040 MX$17.9K

$837 COP 2.9M

24.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$849 MX$14.6K

$723 COP 2.5M

17.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $590 in Oaxaca de Juarez versus $482 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 $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

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

Yes – Oaxaca de Juarez is pricier by about 3%, 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 $1,568 per month in Oaxaca de Juarez and $1,525 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 10% 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 $1,017, than in Oaxaca de Juarez at $1,046. 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.