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: $567 in El Progreso versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $893 in El Progreso versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,219 in El Progreso versus $2,188 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

$5.72 HNL 153

$5.95 COP 21.4K

-3.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.78 HNL 661

$33.33 COP 119.6K

-25.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.88 HNL 210

$7.23 COP 26.0K

8.99%

Cappuccino

$1.47 HNL 39.24

$1.63 COP 5,848

-9.82%

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

$1.01 HNL 26.89

$1.09 COP 3,929

-7.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 HNL 27.38

$0.73 COP 2,621

41.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 HNL 31.05

$1.74 COP 6,237

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 HNL 53.0

$3.23 COP 11.6K

-38.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 HNL 34.35

$1.05 COP 3,766

22.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 HNL 55.5

$1.29 COP 4,643

61.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 HNL 32.63

$1.32 COP 4,748

-7.58%

Eggs

$2.04 HNL 54.4

$2.27 COP 8,152

-10.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.45 HNL 119

$4.35 COP 15.6K

2.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 HNL 104

$5.88 COP 21.1K

-33.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.84 HNL 209

$8.61 COP 30.9K

-8.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 HNL 79.3

$2.25 COP 8,066

32.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 HNL 38.34

$1.07 COP 3,839

34.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 HNL 38.66

$1.52 COP 5,473

-4.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 HNL 40.51

$1.42 COP 5,105

7.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 HNL 42.66

$1.17 COP 4,199

36.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 HNL 35.88

$1.17 COP 4,193

15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 HNL 23.69

$0.89 COP 3,183

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 HNL 44.45

$0.90 COP 3,235

85.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 HNL 65.9

$2.25 COP 8,059

9.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 HNL 35.58

$1.14 COP 4,089

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 HNL 48.01

$2.38 COP 8,537

-24.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,998

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)

$1.08 HNL 28.79

$1.01 COP 3,608

6.93%

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

$19.5K HNL 520.2K

$17.6K COP 63.1M

11.02%

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

$19.4K HNL 518.0K

$26.5K COP 95.1M

-26.65%

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

$80.7 HNL 2,150

$83.7 COP 300.3K

-3.59%

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

$9.07 HNL 242

$9.45 COP 33.9K

-4.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.37 HNL 1,103

$24.11 COP 86.5K

71.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$5.73 HNL 153

$4.10 COP 14.7K

39.76%

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

$245 HNL 6,538

$312 COP 1.1M

-21.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 HNL 1,214

$58.0 COP 208.3K

-21.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.67 HNL 951

$32.56 COP 116.9K

9.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 HNL 2,952

$99.6 COP 357.6K

11.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 HNL 2,750

$109 COP 389.6K

-4.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

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 El Progreso: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 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 $190 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 79% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $850 in El Progreso 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $567 per month in El Progreso versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $567 in El Progreso versus $1,017 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 79% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.