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 $1,138 per month in Puerto Escondido vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,779 per month in Puerto Escondido vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,420 per month in Puerto Escondido vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Puerto Escondido costs about 12% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Puerto Escondido and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Puerto Escondido 15% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.30 MX$160

$5.95 COP 20.8K

56.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.25 MX$674

$33.33 COP 116.3K

17.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.85 MX$135

$7.23 COP 25.2K

8.58%

Cappuccino

$3.27 MX$56.1

$1.63 COP 5,687

100.61%

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

$1.27 MX$21.82

$1.09 COP 3,821

16.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.69

$0.73 COP 2,548

32.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 MX$44.17

$1.74 COP 6,065

47.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 MX$65.7

$3.23 COP 11.3K

18.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$24.80

$1.05 COP 3,662

38.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.12

$1.29 COP 4,515

113.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 MX$18.44

$1.32 COP 4,617

-18.94%

Eggs

$1.92 MX$32.97

$2.27 COP 7,927

-15.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 MX$138

$4.35 COP 15.2K

85.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.96 MX$137

$5.88 COP 20.5K

35.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.51 MX$198

$8.61 COP 30.0K

33.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 MX$44.15

$2.25 COP 7,844

14.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 MX$17.81

$1.07 COP 3,733

-2.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.42

$1.52 COP 5,322

16.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 MX$30.14

$1.42 COP 4,964

23.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.84

$1.17 COP 4,084

83.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 MX$46.08

$1.17 COP 4,077

129.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MX$20.67

$0.89 COP 3,096

34.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 MX$17.48

$0.90 COP 3,146

13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.94 MX$84.8

$2.25 COP 7,837

119.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 MX$183

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-3.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 MX$37.85

$1.14 COP 3,977

93.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 MX$49.16

$2.38 COP 8,301

20.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MX$12.60

$0.84 COP 2,916

-13.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 MX$43.27

$1.41 COP 4,912

78.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 MX$27.42

$1.90 COP 6,634

-15.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.46 MX$145

$7.75 COP 27.0K

9.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.74

$1.01 COP 3,509

30.69%

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

$21.1K MX$362.9K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

20.28%

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

$22.1K MX$378.8K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-16.70%

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

$57.6 MX$988

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-31.23%

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

$22.22 MX$381

$9.45 COP 33.0K

135.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 MX$962

$24.11 COP 84.1K

132.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.41 MX$368

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-15.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.66 MX$183

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-44.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.68 MX$80.4

$4.10 COP 14.3K

14.15%

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

$158 MX$2,707

$312 COP 1.1M

-49.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,658 MX$62.8K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-38.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 MX$905

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-9.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.42 MX$694

$32.56 COP 113.6K

24.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 MX$1,514

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-11.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 MX$1,353

$109 COP 378.8K

-27.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,689

$482 COP 1.7M

-19.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 MX$6,865

$379 COP 1.3M

5.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 MX$16.2K

$837 COP 2.9M

12.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 MX$13.2K

$723 COP 2.5M

6.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,961 MX$33.7K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-30.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,276 MX$21.9K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

4.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$349 MX$5,983

$541 COP 1.9M

-35.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

13.43

-14.37%

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

Last update for Puerto Escondido: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $390 in Puerto Escondido 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.

Salaries run about 55% higher in Medellin, 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 $39.00 in Puerto Escondido versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $190 – making Medellin 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

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

Yes – Puerto Escondido is pricier by about 12%, 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 $1,707 per month in Puerto Escondido 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 $39.00 in Puerto Escondido 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 34% more in Puerto Escondido, 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 Puerto Escondido at $1,138. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Puerto Escondido 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, Puerto Escondido makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.