Cost of Living Comparison Between El Progreso and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between El Progreso and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $565 in El Progreso versus $1,018 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $896 in El Progreso versus $1,609 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,227 in El Progreso versus $2,200 in Medellin.

Living in El Progreso costs roughly 44% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: El Progreso 58% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.87 HNL 157

$5.93 COP 19.0K

-1.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.96 HNL 667

$33.12 COP 106.0K

-24.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 HNL 208

$7.12 COP 22.8K

8.99%

Cappuccino

$1.46 HNL 39.03

$1.71 COP 5,458

-14.62%

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

$1.00 HNL 26.70

$1.05 COP 3,356

-4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 HNL 26.18

$0.72 COP 2,311

36.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 HNL 31.19

$1.72 COP 5,502

-31.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 HNL 53.1

$3.17 COP 10.2K

-37.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 HNL 35.57

$1.06 COP 3,408

25.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 HNL 56.1

$1.31 COP 4,192

60.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 HNL 32.66

$1.33 COP 4,256

-8.27%

Eggs

$2.10 HNL 56.2

$2.28 COP 7,298

-7.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.28 HNL 114

$4.42 COP 14.1K

-3.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.69 HNL 98.7

$5.92 COP 18.9K

-37.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.77 HNL 208

$8.64 COP 27.7K

-10.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 HNL 80.4

$2.34 COP 7,504

28.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 HNL 38.94

$1.10 COP 3,527

32.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 HNL 38.46

$1.47 COP 4,698

-2.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 HNL 42.45

$1.38 COP 4,415

15.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 HNL 43.19

$1.17 COP 3,754

38.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 HNL 36.43

$1.17 COP 3,744

16.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 HNL 22.28

$0.90 COP 2,890

-7.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 HNL 45.83

$0.84 COP 2,693

103.57%

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)

$1.29 HNL 34.46

$1.15 COP 3,673

12.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 HNL 48.27

$2.42 COP 7,749

-25.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 130.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.25 HNL 114

$1.41 COP 4,517

201.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,127

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 HNL 28.81

$0.94 COP 3,020

14.89%

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

$19.5K HNL 521.1K

$17.8K COP 57.0M

9.35%

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

$19.0K HNL 508.5K

$27.1K COP 86.7M

-29.79%

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

$81.4 HNL 2,176

$83.3 COP 266.5K

-2.29%

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

$8.78 HNL 235

$9.66 COP 30.9K

-9.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.49 HNL 1,083

$24.22 COP 77.5K

67.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 80.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 61.9K

Cinema Ticket

$5.93 HNL 159

$4.07 COP 13.0K

45.70%

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

$246 HNL 6,584

$307 COP 981.2K

-19.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.70 HNL 1,222

$60.0 COP 191.9K

-23.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.35 HNL 945

$32.65 COP 104.5K

8.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 HNL 2,923

$101 COP 323.5K

8.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 HNL 2,791

$108 COP 345.7K

-3.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

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 El Progreso: July 19, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $25.00 in El Progreso vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $181 vs $192 per month, with El Progreso cheaper across the board.

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

El Progreso vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Progreso is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 80% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $848 in El Progreso 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $565 per month in El Progreso versus $1,018 in Medellin – a 80% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $565 in El Progreso versus $1,018 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in El Progreso but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes El Progreso the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, El Progreso 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.

Expats usually find El Progreso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.