Cost of Living Comparison Between Queretaro and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Queretaro and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,534 per month in Queretaro vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,362 per month in Queretaro vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,190 per month in Queretaro vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Queretaro is about 7% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Queretaro and Medellin sit above the global median – Queretaro by 11%, Medellin by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.01 MX$204

$8.04 COP 24.8K

49.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.4 MX$1,109

$48.29 COP 148.6K

35.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 MX$161

$9.42 COP 29.0K

0.85%

Cappuccino

$3.97 MX$67.4

$2.94 COP 9,040

35.03%

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

$1.84 MX$31.21

$1.86 COP 5,735

-1.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$18.82

$1.46 COP 4,479

-23.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.94 MX$66.8

$3.21 COP 9,882

22.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 MX$98.8

$5.71 COP 17.6K

1.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MX$32.40

$1.44 COP 4,428

32.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 MX$48.23

$2.40 COP 7,389

18.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.92

$1.70 COP 5,228

24.71%

Eggs

$2.97 MX$50.4

$2.89 COP 8,896

2.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.68 MX$164

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-3.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.54 MX$162

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-4.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.54 MX$247

$14.20 COP 43.7K

2.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 MX$63.4

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-6.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 MX$28.90

$1.58 COP 4,878

7.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 MX$39.26

$2.15 COP 6,624

7.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.02

$2.30 COP 7,078

-10.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.32

$2.00 COP 6,169

4.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 MX$32.81

$1.51 COP 4,646

27.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 MX$26.87

$1.20 COP 3,701

31.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 MX$22.70

$1.28 COP 3,946

4.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.99 MX$84.7

$3.84 COP 11.8K

29.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.93 MX$321

$14.01 COP 43.1K

35.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 MX$40.61

$1.71 COP 5,256

39.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.64 MX$78.6

$2.74 COP 8,440

69.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 MX$10.54

$1.25 COP 3,834

-50.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.65 MX$469

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-64.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 MX$60.9

$1.31 COP 4,016

174.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.88 MX$48.90

$2.17 COP 6,680

32.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.68 MX$198

$8.29 COP 25.5K

40.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.50

$1.36 COP 4,172

19.12%

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

$22.5K MX$382.2K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-18.00%

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

$26.0K MX$441.7K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-28.74%

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

$64.6 MX$1,096

$169 COP 519.2K

-61.72%

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

$29.40 MX$499

$13.57 COP 41.8K

116.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.07 MX$459

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-4.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,044

$45.71 COP 140.7K

34.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.66 MX$452

$17.22 COP 53.0K

54.82%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 MX$139

$6.65 COP 20.5K

22.86%

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

$282 MX$4,785

$803 COP 2.5M

-64.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,531 MX$93.8K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-39.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 MX$949

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-35.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.80 MX$828

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-17.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 MX$1,853

$139 COP 427.5K

-21.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,831

$102 COP 314.0K

5.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$911 MX$15.4K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-14.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$614 MX$10.4K

$653 COP 2.0M

-6.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,613 MX$27.4K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-16.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$894 MX$15.2K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-14.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,384 MX$40.4K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-42.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,350 MX$22.9K

$1,697 COP 5.2M

-20.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$952 MX$16.2K

$655 COP 2.0M

45.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.99

10.94

9.60%

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

Last update for Queretaro: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $911 in Queretaro 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 45% higher in Queretaro, 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 $65.0 in Queretaro versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $328 vs $300 – 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

Queretaro vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 7%, 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 $2,301 per month in Queretaro 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 Queretaro, 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 $65.0 in Queretaro 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 $1,534 in Queretaro and $1,641 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Queretaro, where all-in costs run around $1,534, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Queretaro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Queretaro – 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 Queretaro. 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.