Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Escondido and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Escondido and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,263 per month in Puerto Escondido vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,029 per month in Puerto Escondido vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,795 per month in Puerto Escondido vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Puerto Escondido is about 23% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Puerto Escondido sits 8% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 MX$187

$8.04 COP 24.8K

37.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.03 MX$798

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-2.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.85 MX$150

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-6.05%

Cappuccino

$3.77 MX$63.9

$2.94 COP 9,040

28.23%

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

$1.43 MX$24.21

$1.86 COP 5,735

-23.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.52

$1.46 COP 4,479

-25.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$54.7

$3.21 COP 9,882

0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 MX$74.3

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-23.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 MX$33.22

$1.44 COP 4,428

36.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.40 COP 7,389

33.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MX$28.45

$1.70 COP 5,228

-1.18%

Eggs

$2.92 MX$49.56

$2.89 COP 8,896

1.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 MX$149

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-12.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.73 MX$199

$9.97 COP 30.7K

17.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.31 MX$209

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-13.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MX$49.46

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-26.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 MX$30.55

$1.58 COP 4,878

13.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.28

$2.15 COP 6,624

-6.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$31.64

$2.30 COP 7,078

-18.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 MX$29.64

$2.00 COP 6,169

-12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$36.85

$1.51 COP 4,646

43.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.46

$1.20 COP 3,701

35.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.57

$1.28 COP 3,946

-10.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 MX$79.6

$3.84 COP 11.8K

22.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.66 MX$198

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-16.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 MX$42.73

$1.71 COP 5,256

47.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 MX$56.1

$2.74 COP 8,440

20.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 MX$14.60

$1.25 COP 3,834

-31.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 MX$53.9

$1.31 COP 4,016

142.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 MX$32.91

$2.17 COP 6,680

-10.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.44 MX$211

$8.29 COP 25.5K

50.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$24.43

$1.36 COP 4,172

5.88%

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

$26.0K MX$441.9K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-5.18%

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

$23.4K MX$397.3K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-35.91%

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

$65.4 MX$1,110

$169 COP 519.2K

-61.23%

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

$23.83 MX$404

$13.57 COP 41.8K

75.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.42 MX$686

$28.32 COP 87.2K

42.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.83 MX$506

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-34.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.25 MX$360

$17.22 COP 53.0K

23.40%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 MX$97.4

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-13.68%

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

$249 MX$4,218

$803 COP 2.5M

-69.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,666 MX$96.1K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-38.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 MX$1,046

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-29.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.97 MX$797

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-20.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.2 MX$1,616

$139 COP 427.5K

-31.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 MX$1,750

$102 COP 314.0K

1.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 MX$11.1K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-38.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$412 MX$6,982

$653 COP 2.0M

-36.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,040 MX$17.6K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-45.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$818 MX$13.9K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-21.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,157 MX$36.6K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-47.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,387 MX$23.5K

$1,697 COP 5.2M

-18.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$356 MX$6,044

$655 COP 2.0M

-45.61%

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 Puerto Escondido: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $654 in Puerto Escondido versus $1,071 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 84% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Puerto Escondido versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $307 in Puerto Escondido vs $300 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

Puerto Escondido vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 30%, 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 $1,895 per month in Puerto Escondido and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Puerto Escondido, where all-in costs run around $1,263, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Puerto Escondido it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Puerto Escondido – 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 Puerto Escondido. 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.