Cost of Living Comparison Between Choloma and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Choloma and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $699 in Choloma versus $1,018 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,166 in Choloma versus $1,609 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,633 in Choloma versus $2,200 in Medellin.

Living in Choloma costs roughly 31% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Choloma 48% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.78 HNL 155

$5.93 COP 19.0K

-2.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.84 HNL 1,012

$33.12 COP 106.0K

14.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 HNL 209

$7.12 COP 22.8K

9.83%

Cappuccino

$2.35 HNL 62.8

$1.71 COP 5,458

37.43%

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

$0.96 HNL 25.63

$1.05 COP 3,356

-8.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 HNL 30.45

$0.72 COP 2,311

58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 HNL 30.45

$1.72 COP 5,502

-33.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 HNL 70.9

$3.17 COP 10.2K

-16.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 HNL 37.16

$1.06 COP 3,408

31.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 HNL 56.0

$1.31 COP 4,192

59.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 HNL 33.02

$1.33 COP 4,256

-7.52%

Eggs

$2.04 HNL 54.6

$2.28 COP 7,298

-10.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.14 HNL 164

$4.42 COP 14.1K

38.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 HNL 100

$5.92 COP 18.9K

-36.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.16 HNL 218

$8.64 COP 27.7K

-5.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 HNL 76.7

$2.34 COP 7,504

22.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 HNL 40.08

$1.10 COP 3,527

36.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 HNL 39.21

$1.47 COP 4,698

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 HNL 40.41

$1.38 COP 4,415

9.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 HNL 42.59

$1.17 COP 3,754

35.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 HNL 35.97

$1.17 COP 3,744

15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 HNL 22.70

$0.90 COP 2,890

-5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 HNL 44.00

$0.84 COP 2,693

96.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 HNL 65.3

$2.33 COP 7,449

4.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 HNL 35.77

$1.15 COP 3,673

16.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 HNL 49.08

$2.42 COP 7,749

-23.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 HNL 15.36

$0.84 COP 2,687

-32.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 130.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.31 HNL 115

$1.41 COP 4,517

205.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,127

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 HNL 27.36

$0.94 COP 3,020

8.51%

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

$19.1K HNL 509.7K

$17.8K COP 57.0M

6.97%

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

$19.5K HNL 522.3K

$27.1K COP 86.7M

-27.89%

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

$83.8 HNL 2,241

$83.3 COP 266.5K

0.65%

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

$9.09 HNL 243

$9.66 COP 30.9K

-5.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.29 HNL 1,104

$24.22 COP 77.5K

70.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 80.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 61.9K

Cinema Ticket

$5.73 HNL 153

$4.07 COP 13.0K

40.79%

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

$252 HNL 6,735

$307 COP 981.2K

-17.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.43 HNL 1,215

$60.0 COP 191.9K

-24.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.56 HNL 978

$32.65 COP 104.5K

11.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 HNL 2,916

$101 COP 323.5K

7.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 HNL 2,787

$108 COP 345.7K

-3.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$108 HNL 2,896

$476 COP 1.5M

-77.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.3 HNL 2,656

$379 COP 1.2M

-73.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$350 HNL 9,348

$816 COP 2.6M

-57.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 HNL 7,941

$707 COP 2.3M

-58.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-10.65%

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

Last update for Choloma: July 22, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $108 in Choloma and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Choloma vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $187 vs $192, with Choloma cheaper for home cooking.

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

Choloma vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Choloma is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,049 in Choloma and $1,527 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $108 in Choloma versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $699 per month in Choloma versus $1,018 in Medellin – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $699 in Choloma versus $1,018 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Choloma but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Choloma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Choloma is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Choloma and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Choloma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.