Cost of Living Comparison Between Tulum and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Tulum and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,314 per month in Tulum vs $1,687 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,221 per month in Tulum vs $2,535 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,127 per month in Tulum vs $3,383 in Medellin, rent included.

Tulum is about 22% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Tulum sits 4% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 MX$145

$7.89 COP 24.2K

8.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.7 MX$995

$44.53 COP 136.5K

31.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.02 MX$153

$9.29 COP 28.5K

-2.91%

Cappuccino

$4.23 MX$71.7

$2.90 COP 8,874

45.86%

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

$1.19 MX$20.09

$1.81 COP 5,541

-34.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 MX$21.03

$1.55 COP 4,741

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.3

$3.25 COP 9,962

-6.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 MX$64.9

$5.88 COP 18.0K

-34.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$28.73

$1.38 COP 4,230

23.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 MX$36.65

$2.45 COP 7,517

-11.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.44

$1.51 COP 4,617

23.18%

Eggs

$2.03 MX$34.33

$2.78 COP 8,516

-26.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.81 MX$98.4

$9.05 COP 27.7K

-35.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.31 MX$141

$10.65 COP 32.6K

-21.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.41 MX$159

$14.63 COP 44.8K

-35.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 MX$45.49

$3.97 COP 12.2K

-32.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.36

$1.38 COP 4,219

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.33

$2.30 COP 7,056

-30.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 MX$27.11

$2.02 COP 6,185

-20.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 MX$41.93

$2.09 COP 6,390

18.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.04

$1.63 COP 4,996

15.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$24.75

$1.08 COP 3,313

35.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 MX$14.49

$1.25 COP 3,843

-31.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 MX$78.6

$4.03 COP 12.4K

15.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.03 MX$153

$13.47 COP 41.3K

-32.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.77

$1.60 COP 4,904

-12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.71

$3.00 COP 9,189

-53.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 MX$24.70

$1.18 COP 3,611

23.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 MX$48.64

$1.61 COP 4,920

78.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.57 MX$43.52

$2.13 COP 6,533

20.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 MX$102

$8.52 COP 26.1K

-28.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$25.54

$1.35 COP 4,142

11.85%

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

$22.9K MX$388.8K

$28.3K COP 86.8M

-19.00%

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

$26.0K MX$440.0K

$35.7K COP 109.4M

-27.25%

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

$113 MX$1,912

$151 COP 463.8K

-25.47%

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

$17.77 MX$301

$13.10 COP 40.1K

35.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.96 MX$643

$32.30 COP 99.0K

17.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.62 MX$621

$46.33 COP 141.9K

-20.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$7.02 MX$119

$6.43 COP 19.7K

9.18%

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

$272 MX$4,615

$835 COP 2.6M

-67.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,141 MX$53.2K

$8,887 COP 27.2M

-64.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.35 MX$752

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-50.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 MX$586

$55.3 COP 169.5K

-37.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,770

$137 COP 418.5K

-23.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.4 MX$1,075

$109 COP 335.1K

-42.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 MX$10.8K

$952 COP 2.9M

-33.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 MX$9,541

$668 COP 2.0M

-15.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 MX$27.6K

$2,020 COP 6.2M

-19.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,381 MX$23.4K

$1,148 COP 3.5M

20.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,409 MX$57.8K

$3,696 COP 11.3M

-7.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,892 MX$32.1K

$1,586 COP 4.9M

19.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$830 MX$14.1K

$625 COP 1.9M

32.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.8

10.43

3.55%

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

Last update for Tulum: August 18, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $638 in Tulum versus $952 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 33% higher in Tulum, 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 $59.0 in Tulum versus $45.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Tulum vs $297 in Medellin – so Tulum 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

Tulum vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 28%, 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 $1,971 per month in Tulum and $2,530 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tulum, 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 $59.0 in Tulum and $45.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tulum, where all-in costs run around $1,314, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Tulum it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tulum – 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 Tulum. 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.