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 $892 per month in San Cristobal de las Casas vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,379 per month in San Cristobal de las Casas vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in San Cristobal de las Casas vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

San Cristobal de las Casas is about 13% 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 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.22 MX$91.6

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-15.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.65 MX$467

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-18.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.94 MX$104

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-19.07%

Cappuccino

$2.33 MX$40.82

$1.72 COP 5,600

35.47%

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

$1.63 MX$28.62

$1.05 COP 3,420

55.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 MX$17.42

$0.77 COP 2,515

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 MX$42.72

$1.69 COP 5,488

44.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$85.9

$3.17 COP 10.3K

54.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 MX$24.38

$1.05 COP 3,423

32.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 MX$51.2

$1.30 COP 4,236

124.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 MX$26.99

$1.40 COP 4,544

10.00%

Eggs

$3.43 MX$60.2

$2.16 COP 7,047

58.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.91 MX$121

$4.39 COP 14.3K

57.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.09 MX$71.7

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-30.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.87 MX$120

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-20.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 MX$55.8

$2.28 COP 7,426

39.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 MX$34.02

$1.11 COP 3,604

74.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.72

$1.53 COP 4,983

14.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.54

$1.35 COP 4,410

8.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 MX$29.01

$1.13 COP 3,674

46.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 MX$24.92

$1.13 COP 3,692

25.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 MX$25.17

$0.85 COP 2,753

68.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$23.37

$0.91 COP 2,975

46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 MX$32.98

$2.34 COP 7,630

-19.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.72 MX$188

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-13.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 MX$34.37

$1.20 COP 3,909

63.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 MX$39.43

$2.49 COP 8,104

-9.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.56

$0.84 COP 2,728

-35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.18 MX$459

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-35.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 MX$46.83

$1.42 COP 4,623

88.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.73

$1.92 COP 6,235

29.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.28 MX$145

$7.66 COP 24.9K

8.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$23.02

$0.99 COP 3,223

32.32%

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

$16.1K MX$282.2K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

-10.76%

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

$22.6K MX$396.0K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-15.22%

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

$33.07 MX$580

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-59.08%

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

$19.79 MX$347

$9.95 COP 32.4K

98.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.64 MX$344

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-18.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.50 MX$377

$25.08 COP 81.7K

-14.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.16 MX$283

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-15.61%

Cinema Ticket

$6.56 MX$115

$3.98 COP 13.0K

64.82%

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

$198 MX$3,472

$305 COP 993.5K

-35.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,513 MX$44.1K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-58.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.01 MX$456

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-55.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.61 MX$554

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-1.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 MX$1,461

$101 COP 327.9K

-17.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.5 MX$886

$108 COP 350.8K

-53.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 MX$7,487

$477 COP 1.6M

-10.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 MX$5,283

$376 COP 1.2M

-19.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 MX$15.1K

$845 COP 2.7M

1.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$506 MX$8,867

$730 COP 2.4M

-30.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$865 MX$15.2K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-73.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$679 MX$11.9K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-50.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$426 MX$7,468

$617 COP 2.0M

-30.97%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in San Cristobal de las Casas 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 45% 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 – $232 in San Cristobal de las Casas vs $193 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 16%, 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 $1,338 per month in San Cristobal de las Casas 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 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 $892 in San Cristobal de las Casas and $1,031 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 $892, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.