Cost of Living Comparison Between Pachuca and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Pachuca and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $958 per month in Pachuca vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,613 per month in Pachuca vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,267 per month in Pachuca vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Pachuca is about 44% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Pachuca sits 30% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 MX$90.3

$8.03 COP 25.3K

-33.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.72 MX$471

$48.26 COP 152.0K

-42.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 MX$147

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-11.36%

Cappuccino

$3.16 MX$53.7

$2.91 COP 9,167

8.59%

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

$1.25 MX$21.27

$1.94 COP 6,122

-35.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 MX$14.33

$1.52 COP 4,792

-44.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 MX$30.66

$3.09 COP 9,740

-41.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 MX$60.6

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-37.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MX$28.29

$1.36 COP 4,296

22.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 MX$47.21

$2.39 COP 7,519

16.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.77

$1.70 COP 5,356

17.06%

Eggs

$2.78 MX$47.29

$2.87 COP 9,038

-3.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.48 MX$127

$9.94 COP 31.3K

-24.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 MX$83.8

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-54.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.13 MX$138

$14.73 COP 46.4K

-44.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 MX$38.12

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-45.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MX$23.63

$1.57 COP 4,950

-11.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 MX$27.00

$2.13 COP 6,695

-25.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.09

$2.21 COP 6,972

-22.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 MX$27.14

$2.05 COP 6,447

-21.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 MX$24.36

$1.50 COP 4,737

-4.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 MX$15.83

$1.19 COP 3,747

-21.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 MX$17.21

$1.16 COP 3,647

-12.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.66 MX$79.1

$3.90 COP 12.3K

19.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.62 MX$146

$14.44 COP 45.5K

-40.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 MX$24.50

$1.58 COP 4,987

-8.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 MX$45.62

$2.83 COP 8,905

-4.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 MX$10.33

$1.17 COP 3,679

-47.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.90 MX$508

$77.7 COP 244.8K

-61.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 MX$46.01

$1.28 COP 4,045

111.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.58 MX$60.8

$2.09 COP 6,589

71.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.79 MX$200

$8.62 COP 27.1K

36.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$24.42

$1.30 COP 4,088

10.77%

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

$23.5K MX$399.0K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

-15.05%

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

$26.0K MX$441.8K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-26.74%

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

$45.13 MX$767

$176 COP 554.5K

-74.37%

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

$17.41 MX$296

$13.37 COP 42.1K

30.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.17 MX$411

$29.89 COP 94.1K

-19.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.36 MX$431

$44.76 COP 141.0K

-43.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.72 MX$199

$17.06 COP 53.7K

-31.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.66 MX$79.2

$6.20 COP 19.5K

-24.84%

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

$174 MX$2,949

$793 COP 2.5M

-78.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,800 MX$47.6K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-68.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 MX$985

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-32.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.87 MX$745

$58.5 COP 184.1K

-24.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,765

$136 COP 429.3K

-23.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 MX$1,401

$103 COP 324.7K

-19.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 MX$7,262

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-59.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 MX$4,940

$680 COP 2.1M

-57.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$651 MX$11.1K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-67.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$734 MX$12.5K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-37.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$810 MX$13.7K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-80.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$698 MX$11.9K

$1,701 COP 5.4M

-58.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$717 MX$12.2K

$665 COP 2.1M

7.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.8

10.94

-1.28%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Pachuca: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Pachuca versus $1,060 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 8% higher in Pachuca, 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 $28.00 in Pachuca versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $303 – making Pachuca 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

Pachuca vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 79%, 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 $1,436 per month in Pachuca and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pachuca, 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 $28.00 in Pachuca and $48.00 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 $958 in Pachuca and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Pachuca, where all-in costs run around $958, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Pachuca it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pachuca – 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 Pachuca. 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.