Cost of Living Comparison Between Puebla and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Puebla and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,117 per month in Puebla vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,876 per month in Puebla vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,636 per month in Puebla vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Puebla is about 35% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Puebla sits 19% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.15 MX$172

$8.03 COP 25.3K

26.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$888

$48.26 COP 152.0K

8.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.47 MX$178

$9.77 COP 30.8K

7.16%

Cappuccino

$3.54 MX$60.1

$2.91 COP 9,167

21.65%

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

$1.59 MX$26.99

$1.94 COP 6,122

-18.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 MX$20.82

$1.52 COP 4,792

-19.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 MX$50.8

$3.09 COP 9,740

-3.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 MX$72.0

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-26.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 MX$30.23

$1.36 COP 4,296

30.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 MX$57.2

$2.39 COP 7,519

40.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$1.70 COP 5,356

20.59%

Eggs

$3.87 MX$65.7

$2.87 COP 9,038

34.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.06 MX$120

$9.94 COP 31.3K

-28.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.95 MX$101

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-44.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.77 MX$200

$14.73 COP 46.4K

-20.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 MX$49.25

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-29.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.37

$1.57 COP 4,950

21.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.45

$2.13 COP 6,695

-1.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 MX$37.58

$2.21 COP 6,972

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.41

$2.05 COP 6,447

10.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$36.99

$1.50 COP 4,737

45.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 MX$26.72

$1.19 COP 3,747

31.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 MX$24.43

$1.16 COP 3,647

24.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.27 MX$89.4

$3.90 COP 12.3K

35.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.52 MX$247

$14.44 COP 45.5K

0.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 MX$25.96

$1.58 COP 4,987

-3.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 MX$48.68

$2.83 COP 8,905

1.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 MX$10.47

$1.17 COP 3,679

-47.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.00 MX$459

$77.7 COP 244.8K

-65.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 MX$95.8

$1.28 COP 4,045

340.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 MX$34.21

$2.09 COP 6,589

-3.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.33 MX$294

$8.62 COP 27.1K

101.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 MX$26.46

$1.30 COP 4,088

20.00%

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

$22.5K MX$382.2K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

-18.64%

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

$26.3K MX$446.0K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-26.05%

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

$67.1 MX$1,140

$176 COP 554.5K

-61.88%

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

$20.47 MX$348

$13.37 COP 42.1K

53.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.74 MX$437

$29.89 COP 94.1K

-13.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.20 MX$768

$44.76 COP 141.0K

0.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.18 MX$241

$17.06 COP 53.7K

-16.88%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 MX$100

$6.20 COP 19.5K

-4.52%

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

$453 MX$7,693

$793 COP 2.5M

-42.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K MX$363.8K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

137.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 MX$1,086

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-25.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.6 MX$1,098

$58.5 COP 184.1K

10.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MX$1,864

$136 COP 429.3K

-19.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 MX$1,739

$103 COP 324.7K

-0.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$659 MX$11.2K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-37.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 MX$4,973

$680 COP 2.1M

-56.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$911 MX$15.5K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-54.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 MX$11.4K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-42.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,755 MX$29.8K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-57.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$966 MX$16.4K

$1,701 COP 5.4M

-43.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$723 MX$12.3K

$665 COP 2.1M

8.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.96

10.94

0.18%

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

Last update for Puebla: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $659 in Puebla 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 9% higher in Puebla, 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 $52.0 in Puebla versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $284 in Puebla vs $303 in Medellin – so Puebla 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

Puebla vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 54%, 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 $1,675 per month in Puebla 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 Puebla, 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 $52.0 in Puebla 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 $1,117 in Puebla 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 Puebla, where all-in costs run around $1,117, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Puebla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Puebla – 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 Puebla. 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.