Cost of Living Comparison Between Tepic and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Tepic and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,198 per month in Tepic vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,980 per month in Tepic vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,762 per month in Tepic vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Tepic is about 27% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Tepic sits 13% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.61 MX$247

$8.04 COP 24.9K

81.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.08 MX$829

$48.29 COP 149.7K

1.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.66 MX$163

$9.42 COP 29.2K

2.55%

Cappuccino

$3.48 MX$58.8

$2.94 COP 9,105

18.37%

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

$1.79 MX$30.24

$1.86 COP 5,776

-3.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 MX$22.22

$1.46 COP 4,511

-9.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 MX$48.81

$3.21 COP 9,953

-9.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.51 MX$93.0

$5.71 COP 17.7K

-3.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MX$28.22

$1.44 COP 4,460

15.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 MX$46.02

$2.40 COP 7,442

13.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.09

$1.70 COP 5,265

1.18%

Eggs

$2.25 MX$37.91

$2.89 COP 8,960

-22.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.25 MX$88.7

$10.06 COP 31.2K

-47.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 MX$173

$9.97 COP 30.9K

2.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 MX$207

$14.20 COP 44.0K

-13.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-24.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 MX$29.98

$1.58 COP 4,913

12.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.21

$2.15 COP 6,671

-2.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$33.30

$2.30 COP 7,129

-14.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 MX$36.84

$2.00 COP 6,213

9.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 MX$32.65

$1.51 COP 4,679

27.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 MX$24.88

$1.20 COP 3,727

22.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.05

$1.28 COP 3,974

-7.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.80 MX$81.0

$3.84 COP 11.9K

25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.36 MX$192

$14.01 COP 43.4K

-18.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.56

$1.71 COP 5,294

-46.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$60.8

$2.74 COP 8,500

31.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 MX$14.51

$1.25 COP 3,861

-31.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 241.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 MX$40.13

$1.31 COP 4,045

81.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 MX$25.32

$2.17 COP 6,728

-30.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.71 MX$215

$8.29 COP 25.7K

53.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MX$25.82

$1.36 COP 4,202

12.50%

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

$23.0K MX$388.1K

$27.5K COP 85.2M

-16.34%

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

$26.1K MX$440.9K

$36.5K COP 113.2M

-28.54%

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

$46.23 MX$781

$169 COP 523.0K

-72.60%

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

$13.37 MX$226

$13.57 COP 42.1K

-1.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.63 MX$551

$28.32 COP 87.8K

15.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.98 MX$624

$45.71 COP 141.7K

-19.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.38 MX$361

$17.22 COP 53.4K

24.16%

Cinema Ticket

$7.21 MX$122

$6.65 COP 20.6K

8.42%

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

$268 MX$4,522

$803 COP 2.5M

-66.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K MX$193.5K

$9,190 COP 28.5M

24.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.2 MX$1,049

$87.4 COP 270.8K

-28.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.80 MX$756

$59.4 COP 184.0K

-24.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 MX$1,953

$139 COP 430.5K

-16.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.9 MX$1,569

$102 COP 316.3K

-8.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$664 MX$11.2K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-37.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 MX$7,059

$653 COP 2.0M

-35.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,100 MX$18.6K

$1,925 COP 6.0M

-42.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$836 MX$14.1K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-20.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,989 MX$33.6K

$4,123 COP 12.8M

-51.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,244 MX$21.0K

$1,697 COP 5.3M

-26.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$709 MX$12.0K

$655 COP 2.0M

8.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.68

10.94

6.76%

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

Last update for Tepic: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $664 in Tepic 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 8% higher in Tepic, 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 $49.00 in Tepic versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $273 in Tepic vs $300 in Medellin – so Tepic 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

Tepic vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 37%, 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 $1,798 per month in Tepic 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 Tepic, 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 $49.00 in Tepic and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tepic, where all-in costs run around $1,198, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Tepic it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tepic – 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 Tepic. 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.