Cost of Living Comparison Between San Cristobal de las Casas and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between San Cristobal de las Casas and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $894 per month in San Cristobal de las Casas vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,365 per month in San Cristobal de las Casas vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in San Cristobal de las Casas vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

San Cristobal de las Casas is about 12% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both San Cristobal de las Casas and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – San Cristobal de las Casas 33% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.23 MX$90.4

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-12.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.82 MX$464

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-18.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.66 MX$97.8

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-20.17%

Cappuccino

$2.38 MX$41.09

$1.71 COP 6,115

39.18%

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

$1.61 MX$27.88

$1.10 COP 3,924

46.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 MX$17.20

$0.78 COP 2,781

26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 MX$40.23

$1.68 COP 5,997

38.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.72 MX$81.6

$3.07 COP 11.0K

53.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$25.11

$1.09 COP 3,906

33.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 MX$52.7

$1.26 COP 4,508

142.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 MX$25.56

$1.38 COP 4,922

7.25%

Eggs

$3.58 MX$62.0

$2.19 COP 7,827

63.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.05 MX$122

$4.40 COP 15.7K

60.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.04 MX$69.8

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-28.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.23 MX$125

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-18.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 MX$55.0

$2.34 COP 8,349

35.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 MX$33.32

$1.06 COP 3,777

82.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 MX$29.05

$1.50 COP 5,374

12.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 MX$24.97

$1.38 COP 4,924

4.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 MX$29.46

$1.15 COP 4,111

47.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MX$24.06

$1.16 COP 4,155

19.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 MX$24.91

$0.89 COP 3,182

61.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 MX$22.71

$0.84 COP 2,997

55.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.81 MX$31.34

$2.28 COP 8,145

-20.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.76 MX$186

$10.64 COP 38.0K

1.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 MX$33.54

$1.20 COP 4,284

61.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 MX$40.75

$2.47 COP 8,824

-4.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.60

$0.86 COP 3,056

-36.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.61 MX$460

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-35.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 MX$45.41

$1.47 COP 5,264

78.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.59

$1.96 COP 7,009

22.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.26 MX$143

$7.74 COP 27.6K

6.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.11

$0.95 COP 3,409

41.05%

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

$15.7K MX$272.0K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

-13.25%

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

$22.8K MX$394.8K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-13.81%

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

$32.62 MX$564

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-60.34%

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

$19.87 MX$344

$9.50 COP 33.9K

109.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.36 MX$335

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-20.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.73 MX$376

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-16.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.94 MX$276

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-16.11%

Cinema Ticket

$6.67 MX$115

$3.93 COP 14.0K

69.72%

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

$198 MX$3,417

$309 COP 1.1M

-36.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,562 MX$44.3K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-57.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.22 MX$454

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-55.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.14 MX$556

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-0.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 MX$1,437

$103 COP 366.4K

-19.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.6 MX$892

$108 COP 387.2K

-52.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 MX$7,185

$476 COP 1.7M

-12.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$306 MX$5,292

$379 COP 1.4M

-19.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 MX$14.5K

$838 COP 3.0M

-0.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 MX$8,918

$724 COP 2.6M

-28.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$855 MX$14.8K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-69.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$688 MX$11.9K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-43.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$425 MX$7,344

$512 COP 1.8M

-17.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.33

13.43

-23.08%

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

Last update for San Cristobal de las Casas: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $415 in San Cristobal de las Casas versus $476 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 21% 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 $27.00 in San Cristobal de las Casas versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in San Cristobal de las Casas vs $188 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

San Cristobal de las Casas vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 13%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,341 per month in San Cristobal de las Casas and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Cristobal de las Casas, 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 $27.00 in San Cristobal de las Casas 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 $894 in San Cristobal de las Casas and $1,013 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 San Cristobal de las Casas, where all-in costs run around $894, than in Medellin at $1,013. In San Cristobal de las Casas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Cristobal de las Casas – 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 San Cristobal de las Casas. 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.