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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,054 per month in Tepic vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,681 per month in Tepic vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,309 per month in Tepic vs $2,200 in Medellin, rent included.

Tepic costs about 4% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tepic and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Tepic 21% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tepic
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.78 MX$136
$5.93 COP 19.1K
31.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.91 MX$751
$33.12 COP 106.6K
29.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.36 MX$164
$7.12 COP 22.9K
31.46%
Cappuccino
$3.15 MX$55.0
$1.71 COP 5,487
84.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 MX$36.20
$1.05 COP 3,374
97.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 MX$23.99
$0.72 COP 2,324
90.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.62 MX$45.75
$1.72 COP 5,531
52.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.99 MX$69.8
$3.17 COP 10.2K
25.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tepic
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 MX$25.41
$1.06 COP 3,426
36.79%
White Bread (500g)
$2.36 MX$41.22
$1.31 COP 4,215
80.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.08 MX$18.91
$1.33 COP 4,279
-18.80%
Eggs
$2.12 MX$37.02
$2.28 COP 7,338
-7.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.80 MX$84.0
$4.42 COP 14.2K
8.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.33 MX$233
$5.92 COP 19.0K
125.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.94 MX$121
$8.64 COP 27.8K
-19.68%
Apples (1kg)
$2.59 MX$45.38
$2.34 COP 7,545
10.68%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 MX$26.34
$1.10 COP 3,546
37.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.49 MX$61.0
$1.47 COP 4,724
137.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.60 MX$27.92
$1.38 COP 4,439
15.94%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 MX$33.63
$1.17 COP 3,774
64.10%
Onion (1kg)
$2.06 MX$35.99
$1.17 COP 3,765
76.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.37 MX$24.02
$0.90 COP 2,905
52.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.03 MX$17.93
$0.84 COP 2,708
22.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 MX$74.5
$2.33 COP 7,490
82.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.24 MX$197
$11.92 COP 38.3K
-5.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 MX$14.50
$1.15 COP 3,693
-27.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 MX$27.91
$2.42 COP 7,791
-33.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Tepic
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 MX$9.03
$0.84 COP 2,702
-38.10%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$40.83 COP 131.4K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.09 MX$36.49
$1.41 COP 4,541
48.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.51 MX$8.89
$1.91 COP 6,160
-73.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.76 MX$188
$7.83 COP 25.2K
37.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 MX$23.10
$0.94 COP 3,037
40.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.3K MX$320.2K
$17.8K COP 57.3M
2.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.0K MX$331.5K
$27.1K COP 87.1M
-30.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tepic
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$42.54 MX$744
$83.3 COP 267.9K
-48.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.98 MX$209
$9.66 COP 31.1K
24.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.32 MX$443
$24.22 COP 77.9K
4.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tepic
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.01 MX$630
$25.22 COP 81.2K
42.78%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.98 MX$280
$19.33 COP 62.2K
-17.33%
Cinema Ticket
$4.33 MX$75.8
$4.07 COP 13.1K
6.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tepic
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,616
$307 COP 986.5K
-32.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,426 MX$59.9K
$5,981 COP 19.2M
-42.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tepic
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.06 MX$736
$60.0 COP 192.9K
-29.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$15.81 MX$276
$32.65 COP 105.1K
-51.58%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$65.7 MX$1,149
$101 COP 325.2K
-34.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.9 MX$1,292
$108 COP 347.6K
-31.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tepic
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$513 MX$8,967
$476 COP 1.5M
7.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$396 MX$6,922
$379 COP 1.2M
4.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$921 MX$16.1K
$816 COP 2.6M
12.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$770 MX$13.5K
$707 COP 2.3M
8.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,710 MX$29.9K
$3,190 COP 10.3M
-46.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,250 MX$21.9K
$1,446 COP 4.7M
-13.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tepic
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$694 MX$12.1K
$622 COP 2.0M
11.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.75
13.43
-12.51%

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

Last update for Tepic: July 21, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $513 in Tepic 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 12% higher in Tepic, 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 $43.00 in Tepic versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $192 – 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
Tepic vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Tepic?
Yes – Tepic is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,581 per month in Tepic and $1,527 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Tepic or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tepic and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Tepic and in Medellin?
Groceries cost about 32% more in Tepic, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Tepic or in Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,018, than in Tepic at $1,054. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tepic it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Tepic or Medellin more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Tepic or Medellin?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tepic makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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