Cost of Living Comparison Between Zacatecas and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Zacatecas and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $944 per month in Zacatecas vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,493 per month in Zacatecas vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,042 per month in Zacatecas vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Zacatecas is about 8% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Zacatecas and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Zacatecas 29% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.02 MX$106

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-2.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.09 MX$545

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-4.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.28 MX$128

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-0.82%

Cappuccino

$2.96 MX$52.0

$1.72 COP 5,600

72.09%

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

$1.22 MX$21.40

$1.05 COP 3,420

16.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MX$12.29

$0.77 COP 2,515

-9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 MX$31.68

$1.69 COP 5,488

7.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 MX$66.4

$3.17 COP 10.3K

19.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 MX$24.39

$1.05 COP 3,423

32.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 MX$37.48

$1.30 COP 4,236

64.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.45

$1.40 COP 4,544

12.14%

Eggs

$2.20 MX$38.59

$2.16 COP 7,047

1.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 MX$127

$4.39 COP 14.3K

65.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.89 MX$103

$5.88 COP 19.1K

0.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.10 MX$160

$8.64 COP 28.1K

5.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.57

$2.28 COP 7,426

-23.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$26.15

$1.11 COP 3,604

34.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.20

$1.53 COP 4,983

16.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.35 COP 4,410

5.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.64

$1.13 COP 3,674

59.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 MX$35.42

$1.13 COP 3,692

78.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 MX$23.99

$0.85 COP 2,753

61.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 MX$13.20

$0.91 COP 2,975

-17.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MX$73.1

$2.34 COP 7,630

78.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.90 MX$191

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-11.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 MX$28.53

$1.20 COP 3,909

35.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 MX$54.5

$2.49 COP 8,104

24.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 MX$8.54

$0.84 COP 2,728

-41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.10 MX$282

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-60.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 MX$36.46

$1.42 COP 4,623

46.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 MX$16.48

$1.92 COP 6,235

-51.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.50 MX$202

$7.66 COP 24.9K

50.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.87

$0.99 COP 3,223

31.31%

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

$24.2K MX$425.1K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

34.43%

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

$23.9K MX$419.8K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-10.11%

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

$22.53 MX$395

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-72.12%

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

$8.09 MX$142

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-18.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.10 MX$440

$24.18 COP 78.7K

3.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.52 MX$413

$25.08 COP 81.7K

-6.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.80 MX$137

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-59.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 MX$72.8

$3.98 COP 13.0K

4.27%

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

$191 MX$3,348

$305 COP 993.5K

-37.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,190 MX$56.0K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-47.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.23 MX$758

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-25.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.35 MX$743

$32.20 COP 104.8K

31.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 MX$1,542

$101 COP 327.9K

-12.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.12 MX$739

$108 COP 350.8K

-60.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 MX$4,193

$477 COP 1.6M

-49.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 MX$7,065

$376 COP 1.2M

7.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 MX$6,419

$845 COP 2.7M

-56.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$768 MX$13.5K

$730 COP 2.4M

5.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$590 MX$10.3K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-57.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$435 MX$7,633

$617 COP 2.0M

-29.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

13.43

-14.52%

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

Last update for Zacatecas: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $239 in Zacatecas versus $477 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 42% higher in Medellin, 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 $31.00 in Zacatecas versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $221 in Zacatecas vs $193 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

Zacatecas vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,415 per month in Zacatecas and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zacatecas, 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 $31.00 in Zacatecas and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $944 in Zacatecas and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zacatecas, where all-in costs run around $944, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Zacatecas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zacatecas – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Zacatecas. 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.