Cost of Living Comparison Between Toluca and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Toluca and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,162 per month in Toluca vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,869 per month in Toluca vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,575 per month in Toluca vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Toluca costs about 14% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Toluca and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Toluca 14% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.20 MX$158

$5.95 COP 20.8K

54.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.76 MX$717

$33.33 COP 116.3K

25.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 MX$134

$7.23 COP 25.2K

8.16%

Cappuccino

$2.81 MX$48.19

$1.63 COP 5,687

72.39%

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

$1.12 MX$19.21

$1.09 COP 3,821

2.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.85

$0.73 COP 2,548

10.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 MX$37.47

$1.74 COP 6,065

25.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 MX$60.3

$3.23 COP 11.3K

8.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 MX$23.47

$1.05 COP 3,662

30.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 MX$58.2

$1.29 COP 4,515

162.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.79

$1.32 COP 4,617

44.70%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.27 COP 7,927

14.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.76 MX$98.9

$4.35 COP 15.2K

32.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 MX$169

$5.88 COP 20.5K

67.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$203

$8.61 COP 30.0K

37.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 MX$69.9

$2.25 COP 7,844

80.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.05

$1.07 COP 3,733

52.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 MX$33.25

$1.52 COP 5,322

27.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 MX$38.41

$1.42 COP 4,964

57.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 MX$42.73

$1.17 COP 4,084

112.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.55

$1.17 COP 4,077

101.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 MX$30.83

$0.89 COP 3,096

102.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 MX$17.54

$0.90 COP 3,146

13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.96 MX$85.1

$2.25 COP 7,837

120.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.32 MX$229

$11.04 COP 38.5K

20.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MX$34.06

$1.14 COP 3,977

73.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 MX$56.0

$2.38 COP 8,301

36.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 MX$10.58

$0.84 COP 2,916

-26.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$54.9

$1.41 COP 4,912

126.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 MX$39.21

$1.90 COP 6,634

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.15 MX$140

$7.75 COP 27.0K

5.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 MX$21.43

$1.01 COP 3,509

23.76%

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

$28.0K MX$480.5K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

59.26%

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

$27.7K MX$474.7K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

4.39%

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

$47.02 MX$807

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-43.81%

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

$21.19 MX$364

$9.45 COP 33.0K

124.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.94 MX$600

$24.11 COP 84.1K

44.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 MX$874

$25.31 COP 88.3K

101.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.33 MX$383

$19.14 COP 66.8K

16.67%

Cinema Ticket

$7.05 MX$121

$4.10 COP 14.3K

71.95%

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

$167 MX$2,874

$312 COP 1.1M

-46.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,169 MX$88.7K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-13.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 MX$935

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-6.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.7 MX$1,059

$32.56 COP 113.6K

89.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 MX$1,614

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-5.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 MX$1,798

$109 COP 378.8K

-3.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$644 MX$11.0K

$482 COP 1.7M

33.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 MX$6,510

$379 COP 1.3M

-0.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$921 MX$15.8K

$837 COP 2.9M

9.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$759 MX$13.0K

$723 COP 2.5M

5.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,337 MX$23.0K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-52.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$956 MX$16.4K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-21.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,350 MX$23.2K

$541 COP 1.9M

149.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.12

13.43

-17.20%

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

Last update for Toluca: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $644 in Toluca versus $482 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 150% higher in Toluca, 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 $42.00 in Toluca versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $190 – 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

Toluca vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Toluca is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,744 per month in Toluca and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Toluca and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% more in Toluca, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Toluca at $1,162. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toluca it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Toluca makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.