Cost of Living Comparison Between Saltillo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Saltillo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,231 per month in Saltillo vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,990 per month in Saltillo vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,749 per month in Saltillo vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Saltillo costs about 19% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Saltillo and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Saltillo 8% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.10 MX$141

$6.16 COP 20.1K

31.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.68 MX$778

$32.60 COP 106.1K

37.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 MX$111

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-13.22%

Cappuccino

$3.10 MX$54.0

$1.72 COP 5,599

80.23%

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

$1.24 MX$21.67

$1.05 COP 3,420

18.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 MX$17.38

$0.77 COP 2,515

29.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 MX$37.72

$1.69 COP 5,487

28.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$64.2

$3.17 COP 10.3K

16.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 MX$25.67

$1.05 COP 3,423

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.6

$1.30 COP 4,236

150.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.06

$1.40 COP 4,544

35.71%

Eggs

$2.53 MX$43.97

$2.16 COP 7,046

17.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 MX$182

$4.39 COP 14.3K

138.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 MX$141

$5.88 COP 19.1K

38.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.84 MX$171

$8.64 COP 28.1K

13.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 MX$46.27

$2.28 COP 7,425

16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 MX$20.72

$1.11 COP 3,603

7.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.98

$1.53 COP 4,982

5.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.72

$1.35 COP 4,410

39.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.06

$1.13 COP 3,674

83.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 MX$41.56

$1.13 COP 3,692

111.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 MX$21.20

$0.85 COP 2,753

43.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.17

$0.91 COP 2,975

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 MX$62.0

$2.34 COP 7,629

52.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.82 MX$188

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-12.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 MX$38.89

$1.20 COP 3,909

85.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 MX$25.48

$2.49 COP 8,104

-41.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 MX$14.30

$0.84 COP 2,727

-2.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.01 MX$279

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-60.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 MX$44.84

$1.42 COP 4,623

80.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 MX$31.55

$1.92 COP 6,235

-5.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.60 MX$185

$7.66 COP 24.9K

38.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.61

$0.99 COP 3,223

31.31%

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

$14.7K MX$256.4K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

-18.32%

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

$24.5K MX$426.2K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-8.08%

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

$46.41 MX$808

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-42.57%

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

$24.21 MX$422

$9.95 COP 32.4K

143.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.61 MX$516

$24.18 COP 78.7K

22.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.4 MX$1,157

$25.08 COP 81.6K

164.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.24 MX$231

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-30.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 MX$110

$3.98 COP 13.0K

59.30%

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

$240 MX$4,184

$305 COP 993.4K

-21.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,536 MX$44.2K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-58.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 MX$938

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-7.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 MX$971

$32.20 COP 104.8K

73.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 MX$1,457

$101 COP 327.9K

-16.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,115

$108 COP 350.8K

12.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$551 MX$9,598

$477 COP 1.6M

15.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$484 MX$8,422

$376 COP 1.2M

28.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 MX$15.8K

$845 COP 2.7M

7.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$975 MX$17.0K

$730 COP 2.4M

33.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$580 MX$10.1K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-81.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$923 MX$16.1K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-32.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$814 MX$14.2K

$617 COP 2.0M

31.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.5

13.43

-21.82%

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

Last update for Saltillo: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $551 in Saltillo versus $477 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 32% higher in Saltillo, 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 $45.00 in Saltillo versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $193 – 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

Saltillo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saltillo is pricier by about 19%, 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 $1,847 per month in Saltillo and $1,546 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 $45.00 in Saltillo and $33.00 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 $1,231 in Saltillo and $1,031 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Saltillo at $1,231. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saltillo 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, Saltillo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.