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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,052 per month in Tepic vs $1,030 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,678 per month in Tepic vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,305 per month in Tepic vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Tepic costs about 2% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tepic and Medellin are more affordable than the global median โ€“ Tepic 22% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Tepic
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.96 MX$138
$5.92 COPย 21.2K
34.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.12 MX$730
$33.17 COPย 118.7K
26.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.17 MX$159
$7.25 COPย 25.9K
26.48%
Cappuccino
$3.13 MX$54.2
$1.71 COPย 6,137
83.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 MX$35.89
$1.09 COPย 3,915
89.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33 MX$22.99
$0.77 COPย 2,743
72.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.55 MX$44.12
$1.75 COPย 6,254
45.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.11 MX$71.3
$3.18 COPย 11.4K
29.25%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Tepic
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.52 MX$26.37
$1.06 COPย 3,792
43.40%
White Bread (500g)
$2.33 MX$40.30
$1.30 COPย 4,657
79.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.08 MX$18.78
$1.38 COPย 4,926
-21.74%
Eggs
$2.01 MX$34.83
$2.21 COPย 7,908
-9.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.90 MX$84.9
$4.52 COPย 16.2K
8.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.95 MX$224
$5.80 COPย 20.7K
123.28%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.70 MX$116
$8.97 COPย 32.1K
-25.31%
Apples (1kg)
$2.58 MX$44.72
$2.29 COPย 8,182
12.66%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 MX$27.22
$1.06 COPย 3,791
48.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.52 MX$60.9
$1.51 COPย 5,411
133.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 MX$27.82
$1.36 COPย 4,869
18.38%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 MX$32.02
$1.16 COPย 4,146
59.48%
Onion (1kg)
$2.06 MX$35.73
$1.17 COPย 4,174
76.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 MX$24.96
$0.83 COPย 2,960
73.49%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.02 MX$17.67
$0.85 COPย 3,043
20.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.22 MX$73.1
$2.35 COPย 8,423
79.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.44 MX$198
$11.09 COPย 39.7K
3.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 MX$13.31
$1.15 COPย 4,133
-33.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 MX$29.03
$2.47 COPย 8,853
-31.98%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Tepic
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$9.61
$0.79 COPย 2,827
-30.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$41.85 COPย 149.8K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.11 MX$36.53
$1.44 COPย 5,140
46.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.51 MX$8.88
$1.90 COPย 6,793
-73.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.51 MX$182
$7.70 COPย 27.6K
36.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 MX$22.15
$1.03 COPย 3,680
24.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.5K MX$320.3K
$17.7K COPย 63.3M
4.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.8K MX$325.4K
$27.0K COPย 96.7M
-30.50%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tepic
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$42.49 MX$736
$81.4 COPย 291.4K
-47.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.00 MX$208
$9.42 COPย 33.7K
27.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.61 MX$444
$23.77 COPย 85.1K
7.74%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Tepic
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.65 MX$635
$25.86 COPย 92.6K
41.72%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.81 MX$274
$19.34 COPย 69.2K
-18.25%
Cinema Ticket
$4.19 MX$72.7
$4.05 COPย 14.5K
3.46%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Tepic
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$208 MX$3,607
$312 COPย 1.1M
-33.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,460 MX$60.0K
$6,067 COPย 21.7M
-42.96%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Tepic
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.16 MX$731
$58.9 COPย 210.7K
-28.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$15.88 MX$275
$32.82 COPย 117.5K
-51.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$65.5 MX$1,135
$100 COPย 359.6K
-34.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.6 MX$1,276
$106 COPย 380.3K
-30.71%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Tepic
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$514 MX$8,908
$490 COPย 1.8M
4.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$398 MX$6,890
$371 COPย 1.3M
7.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$934 MX$16.2K
$838 COPย 3.0M
11.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$749 MX$13.0K
$715 COPย 2.6M
4.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,220 MX$38.5K
$2,952 COPย 10.6M
-24.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,251 MX$21.7K
$1,394 COPย 5.0M
-10.24%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Tepic
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$696 MX$12.1K
$532 COPย 1.9M
30.87%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.75
13.43
-12.51%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Tepic: April 19, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $514 in Tepic versus $490 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 31% 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 $42 in Tepic versus $33 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $190 โ€“ 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 โ€“ Tepic is pricier by about 2%, 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 $1,578 per month in Tepic and $1,544 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ€“ 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 Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Tepic and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafรฉ pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Tepic and Medellin?
Groceries cost about 33% 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 Tepic or Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,030, than in Tepic at $1,052. 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 โ€“ 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 โ€“ 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.

Tepic vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities