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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,304 per month in Puerto Penasco vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,091 per month in Puerto Penasco vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,878 per month in Puerto Penasco vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Puerto Penasco is about 24% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Puerto Penasco sits 5% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.85 MX$217

$8.03 COP 25.1K

60.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.42 MX$784

$48.26 COP 150.8K

-3.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.28 MX$157

$9.77 COP 30.5K

-5.02%

Cappuccino

$5.07 MX$85.7

$2.91 COP 9,095

74.23%

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

$1.52 MX$25.64

$1.94 COP 6,074

-21.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$18.70

$1.52 COP 4,754

-26.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 MX$50.2

$3.09 COP 9,663

-3.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$76.2

$5.74 COP 17.9K

-21.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 MX$29.71

$1.36 COP 4,262

29.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 MX$55.2

$2.39 COP 7,460

36.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 MX$30.44

$1.70 COP 5,314

5.88%

Eggs

$3.22 MX$54.5

$2.87 COP 8,967

12.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.45 MX$92.0

$9.94 COP 31.1K

-45.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.16 MX$189

$10.78 COP 33.7K

3.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 MX$176

$14.73 COP 46.0K

-29.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 MX$76.4

$4.09 COP 12.8K

10.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.35

$1.57 COP 4,911

33.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 MX$55.1

$2.13 COP 6,642

53.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 MX$38.10

$2.21 COP 6,917

1.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.07

$2.05 COP 6,396

3.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.25

$1.50 COP 4,700

50.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$24.69

$1.19 COP 3,718

22.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 MX$27.70

$1.16 COP 3,619

41.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.83 MX$81.7

$3.90 COP 12.2K

23.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.77 MX$250

$14.44 COP 45.1K

2.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.64

$1.58 COP 4,948

6.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.63

$2.83 COP 8,836

-44.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MX$13.13

$1.17 COP 3,650

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 MX$39.18

$1.28 COP 4,014

81.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 MX$56.1

$2.09 COP 6,537

58.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.76 MX$216

$8.62 COP 26.9K

48.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$25.56

$1.30 COP 4,056

16.15%

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

$21.4K MX$361.7K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

-22.62%

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

$22.5K MX$379.7K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-36.73%

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

$75.6 MX$1,277

$176 COP 550.1K

-57.09%

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

$13.79 MX$233

$13.37 COP 41.8K

3.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.53 MX$769

$29.89 COP 93.4K

52.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.67 MX$586

$44.76 COP 139.8K

-22.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 MX$357

$17.06 COP 53.3K

23.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 MX$97.0

$6.20 COP 19.4K

-7.42%

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

$220 MX$3,715

$793 COP 2.5M

-72.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,290 MX$72.5K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

-52.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 MX$987

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-31.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.34 MX$749

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-24.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MX$1,806

$136 COP 425.9K

-21.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.4 MX$1,579

$103 COP 322.2K

-9.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$562 MX$9,495

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-46.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$416 MX$7,023

$680 COP 2.1M

-38.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,015 MX$17.2K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-49.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$810 MX$13.7K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-30.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,776 MX$30.0K

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-56.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,054 MX$17.8K

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-38.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$631 MX$10.7K

$665 COP 2.1M

-5.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.55

10.94

-3.56%

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

Last update for Puerto Penasco: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $562 in Puerto Penasco 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 5% 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 $46.00 in Puerto Penasco versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $311 in Puerto Penasco vs $303 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 Penasco vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 32%, 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 $1,955 per month in Puerto Penasco 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 Puerto Penasco, 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 $46.00 in Puerto Penasco 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Puerto Penasco, where all-in costs run around $1,304, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Puerto Penasco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Puerto Penasco – 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 Penasco. 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.