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: $804 in Haikou versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,136 in Haikou versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,468 in Haikou versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Haikou costs roughly 53% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Haikou is 41% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.37 ¥29.31

$8.03 COP 25.3K

-45.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.16 ¥102

$48.26 COP 152.0K

-68.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.03 ¥40.47

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-38.28%

Cappuccino

$2.40 ¥16.09

$2.91 COP 9,167

-17.53%

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

$0.80 ¥5.40

$1.94 COP 6,122

-58.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ¥2.46

$1.52 COP 4,792

-75.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ¥9.78

$3.09 COP 9,740

-52.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ¥18.07

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-53.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ¥13.86

$1.36 COP 4,296

52.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ¥9.75

$2.39 COP 7,519

-39.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 ¥4.60

$1.70 COP 5,356

-59.41%

Eggs

$1.35 ¥9.07

$2.87 COP 9,038

-52.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.91 ¥26.21

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-63.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.82 ¥106

$14.73 COP 46.4K

7.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.31

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-58.68%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.24

$1.57 COP 4,950

-40.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.33

$2.13 COP 6,695

-48.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.08

$2.21 COP 6,972

-58.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.55

$2.05 COP 6,447

-59.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.90

$1.50 COP 4,737

-51.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 ¥3.09

$1.19 COP 3,747

-61.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.77

$1.16 COP 3,647

-51.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.14 ¥21.04

$3.90 COP 12.3K

-19.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.86 ¥59.5

$14.44 COP 45.5K

-38.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.83

$1.58 COP 4,987

-63.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 ¥8.21

$2.83 COP 8,905

-56.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ¥6.27

$1.17 COP 3,679

-20.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.8 ¥354

$77.7 COP 244.8K

-32.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 ¥14.89

$1.28 COP 4,045

73.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.87

$2.09 COP 6,589

-79.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥8.27

$1.30 COP 4,088

-5.38%

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

$27.7K COP 87.1M

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

$35.5K COP 111.8M

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

$35.52 ¥238

$176 COP 554.5K

-79.83%

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

$13.40 ¥89.9

$13.37 COP 42.1K

0.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.29 ¥89.2

$29.89 COP 94.1K

-55.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.71 ¥300

$44.76 COP 141.0K

-0.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.17 ¥41.41

$17.06 COP 53.7K

-63.83%

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 ¥30.79

$6.20 COP 19.5K

-25.97%

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

$865 ¥5,805

$793 COP 2.5M

9.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K ¥131.0K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

116.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.31 ¥177

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-69.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.56 ¥232

$58.5 COP 184.1K

-40.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.97 ¥295

$136 COP 429.3K

-67.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.48 ¥251

$103 COP 324.7K

-63.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 ¥2,488

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-65.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 ¥1,963

$680 COP 2.1M

-56.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 ¥3,907

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-71.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 ¥2,422

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-69.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,200 ¥21.5K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-22.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,158 ¥14.5K

$1,701 COP 5.4M

26.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$729 ¥4,891

$665 COP 2.1M

9.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.85

10.94

-64.81%

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

Last update for Haikou: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $371 in Haikou and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Haikou pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $15.00 in Haikou vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $169 vs $303 per month, with Haikou 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

Haikou vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Haikou and Medellin differ by about 113% in total monthly costs ($804 vs $1,716 including rent). Haikou is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 10% higher in Haikou, 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: $371 in Haikou versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $804 per month in Haikou versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 113% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Haikou runs roughly 47% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $804 in Haikou versus $1,716 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 113% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.