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: $680 in Choloma versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,141 in Choloma versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,603 in Choloma versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Choloma costs roughly 33% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Choloma 49% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.66 HNL 151

$5.95 COP 21.4K

-4.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.07 HNL 988

$33.33 COP 119.6K

11.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.47 HNL 199

$7.23 COP 26.0K

3.32%

Cappuccino

$2.39 HNL 63.6

$1.63 COP 5,848

46.63%

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

$0.96 HNL 25.59

$1.09 COP 3,929

-11.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 HNL 30.33

$0.73 COP 2,621

56.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 HNL 31.20

$1.74 COP 6,237

-32.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 HNL 71.3

$3.23 COP 11.6K

-17.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 HNL 37.38

$1.05 COP 3,766

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 HNL 57.1

$1.29 COP 4,643

65.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 HNL 33.88

$1.32 COP 4,748

-3.79%

Eggs

$2.13 HNL 56.8

$2.27 COP 8,152

-6.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.13 HNL 164

$4.35 COP 15.6K

40.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.76 HNL 100

$5.88 COP 21.1K

-36.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.86 HNL 209

$8.61 COP 30.9K

-8.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 HNL 76.0

$2.25 COP 8,066

26.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 HNL 39.89

$1.07 COP 3,839

40.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 HNL 40.38

$1.52 COP 5,473

-0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 HNL 41.59

$1.42 COP 5,105

9.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 HNL 42.67

$1.17 COP 4,199

36.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 HNL 37.44

$1.17 COP 4,193

19.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 HNL 23.55

$0.89 COP 3,183

-1.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 HNL 43.70

$0.90 COP 3,235

82.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 HNL 65.2

$2.25 COP 8,059

8.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 HNL 36.15

$1.14 COP 4,089

19.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 HNL 49.45

$2.38 COP 8,537

-21.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 HNL 16.33

$0.84 COP 2,998

-27.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 150.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.35 HNL 116

$1.41 COP 5,051

208.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,823

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 HNL 27.21

$1.01 COP 3,608

0.99%

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

$18.8K HNL 502.4K

$17.6K COP 63.1M

7.21%

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

$19.0K HNL 507.1K

$26.5K COP 95.1M

-28.19%

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

$81.5 HNL 2,173

$83.7 COP 300.3K

-2.58%

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

$8.88 HNL 237

$9.45 COP 33.9K

-6.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.20 HNL 1,098

$24.11 COP 86.5K

70.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$5.85 HNL 156

$4.10 COP 14.7K

42.68%

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

$252 HNL 6,722

$312 COP 1.1M

-19.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.63 HNL 1,216

$58.0 COP 208.3K

-21.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.64 HNL 950

$32.56 COP 116.9K

9.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 HNL 2,949

$99.6 COP 357.6K

11.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 HNL 2,727

$109 COP 389.6K

-5.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$109 HNL 2,900

$482 COP 1.7M

-77.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.4 HNL 2,649

$379 COP 1.4M

-73.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$343 HNL 9,145

$837 COP 3.0M

-59.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 HNL 7,912

$723 COP 2.6M

-58.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $109 in Choloma and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Choloma vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $190, 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 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,019 in Choloma and $1,525 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: $109 in Choloma versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $680 per month in Choloma versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $680 in Choloma versus $1,017 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 50% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.