Cost of Living Comparison Between Haikou and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Haikou and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $785 in Haikou versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,194 in Haikou versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,603 in Haikou versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Haikou costs roughly 23% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Haikou 41% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.44 ¥16.51

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-59.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.58 ¥166

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-25.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ¥34.24

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-28.63%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ¥20.71

$1.71 COP 6,115

78.95%

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

$0.46 ¥3.08

$1.10 COP 3,924

-58.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.26

$0.78 COP 2,781

-57.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ¥9.22

$1.68 COP 5,997

-19.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ¥25.18

$3.07 COP 11.0K

21.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ¥12.07

$1.09 COP 3,906

64.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 ¥9.25

$1.26 COP 4,508

8.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.54

$1.38 COP 4,922

-40.58%

Eggs

$1.86 ¥12.60

$2.19 COP 7,827

-15.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.66 ¥85.6

$4.40 COP 15.7K

187.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.70 ¥38.57

$5.63 COP 20.1K

1.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.45 ¥104

$8.89 COP 31.8K

73.79%

Apples (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.48

$2.34 COP 8,349

-65.38%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.26

$1.06 COP 3,777

-12.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.43 ¥2.91

$1.50 COP 5,374

-71.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.29

$1.38 COP 4,924

-32.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 ¥5.25

$1.15 COP 4,111

-32.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.83

$1.16 COP 4,155

-38.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.29 ¥1.96

$0.89 COP 3,182

-67.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.53

$0.84 COP 2,997

-38.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ¥20.27

$2.28 COP 8,145

31.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.39 ¥77.0

$10.64 COP 38.0K

7.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.42

$1.20 COP 4,284

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ¥11.17

$2.47 COP 8,824

-33.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.96

$0.86 COP 3,056

-66.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.58 ¥112

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-59.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 ¥19.40

$1.47 COP 5,264

95.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.41

$1.96 COP 7,009

-81.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.53 ¥44.17

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-15.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.61

$0.95 COP 3,409

18.95%

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

$20.4K ¥138.2K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

12.71%

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

$16.2K ¥109.4K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-38.93%

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

$33.79 ¥228

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-58.92%

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

$13.85 ¥93.6

$9.50 COP 33.9K

45.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.11 ¥54.9

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-66.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.15 ¥217

$25.89 COP 92.4K

24.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.80 ¥39.25

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-69.47%

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ¥36.92

$3.93 COP 14.0K

38.93%

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

$333 ¥2,251

$309 COP 1.1M

7.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K ¥188.6K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

367.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.58 ¥281

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-29.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.71 ¥282

$32.35 COP 115.5K

28.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$42.57 ¥288

$103 COP 366.4K

-58.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.35 ¥232

$108 COP 387.2K

-68.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$343 ¥2,320

$476 COP 1.7M

-27.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 ¥1,855

$379 COP 1.4M

-27.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$533 ¥3,602

$838 COP 3.0M

-36.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 ¥3,191

$724 COP 2.6M

-34.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,212 ¥21.7K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

15.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,147 ¥14.5K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

77.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$717 ¥4,851

$512 COP 1.8M

40.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

13.43

-63.89%

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

Last update for Haikou: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $343 in Haikou and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Haikou pays 40% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Haikou vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $212 vs $188, with Medellin 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

Haikou vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Haikou and Medellin differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($785 vs $1,013 including rent). Haikou is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Haikou pays 40% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $343 in Haikou versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $785 per month in Haikou versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Haikou runs roughly 150% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $785 in Haikou versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Haikou but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Haikou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Haikou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.