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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,183 per month in Toluca vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,977 per month in Toluca vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,772 per month in Toluca vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Toluca is about 30% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Toluca sits 14% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.48 MX$198

$8.02 COP 25.0K

43.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.96 MX$810

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-1.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.86 MX$153

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-10.41%

Cappuccino

$3.47 MX$59.8

$3.13 COP 9,767

10.86%

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

$1.29 MX$22.19

$1.91 COP 5,954

-32.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 MX$13.78

$1.51 COP 4,712

-47.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 MX$36.24

$3.12 COP 9,747

-32.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 MX$61.2

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-38.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.86

$1.44 COP 4,509

28.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.32 MX$57.3

$2.49 COP 7,759

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 MX$40.55

$1.77 COP 5,535

32.77%

Eggs

$3.25 MX$56.1

$2.96 COP 9,235

9.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-14.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.07 MX$156

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-10.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.76 MX$168

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-31.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 MX$77.3

$4.14 COP 12.9K

8.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.78

$1.61 COP 5,019

29.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 MX$40.46

$2.25 COP 7,007

4.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 MX$40.82

$2.25 COP 7,028

5.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.96 MX$51.1

$2.04 COP 6,375

45.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 MX$43.57

$1.54 COP 4,790

64.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.81 MX$31.19

$1.17 COP 3,651

54.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 MX$18.19

$1.31 COP 4,077

-19.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.07 MX$87.3

$3.90 COP 12.2K

30.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.17 MX$227

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-6.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 MX$35.23

$1.74 COP 5,439

17.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 MX$69.2

$2.87 COP 8,956

39.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MX$13.12

$1.22 COP 3,792

-37.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 MX$62.0

$1.31 COP 4,084

174.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 MX$35.05

$2.19 COP 6,825

-7.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.71 MX$185

$8.71 COP 27.2K

22.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.73

$1.37 COP 4,260

13.14%

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

$28.8K MX$496.2K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

3.39%

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

$25.1K MX$433.5K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-29.71%

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

$60.7 MX$1,046

$177 COP 553.2K

-65.77%

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

$27.11 MX$467

$13.88 COP 43.3K

95.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.97 MX$603

$29.72 COP 92.8K

17.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$895

$44.88 COP 140.1K

15.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.42 MX$421

$17.12 COP 53.4K

42.64%

Cinema Ticket

$7.46 MX$129

$6.65 COP 20.7K

12.18%

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

$238 MX$4,107

$813 COP 2.5M

-70.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,498 MX$94.8K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-40.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.8 MX$1,203

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-22.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.8 MX$1,014

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-0.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MX$1,910

$138 COP 431.2K

-19.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 MX$1,922

$102 COP 318.7K

9.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$767 MX$13.2K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-27.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$308 MX$5,304

$663 COP 2.1M

-53.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 MX$17.8K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-45.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$775 MX$13.4K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-24.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,398 MX$24.1K

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-66.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$975 MX$16.8K

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-41.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,339 MX$23.1K

$678 COP 2.1M

97.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.07

10.94

1.19%

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

Last update for Toluca: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $767 in Toluca versus $1,062 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 98% higher in Toluca, 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 $47.00 in Toluca versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $309 in Toluca vs $305 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

Toluca vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 42%, 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 $1,774 per month in Toluca and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Toluca, 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 $47.00 in Toluca and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Toluca, where all-in costs run around $1,183, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Toluca it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Toluca – 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 Toluca. 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.