Cost of Living Comparison Between Haines, AK and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Haines, AK and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,554 in Haines, AK versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,767 in Haines, AK versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,980 in Haines, AK versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Haines, AK is roughly 52% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Haines, AK 87% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.65 $19.65

$8.02 COP 25.4K

145.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.5 $73.5

$47.87 COP 152.0K

53.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 $10.81

$9.89 COP 31.4K

9.30%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$3.13 COP 9,937

72.20%

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

$2.82 $2.82

$1.91 COP 6,058

47.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.51 COP 4,794

19.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.48 $5.48

$3.12 COP 9,917

75.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 $6.86

$5.75 COP 18.3K

19.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.44 COP 4,587

-29.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 $3.40

$2.49 COP 7,894

36.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$1.77 COP 5,631

144.63%

Eggs

$3.63 $3.63

$2.96 COP 9,396

22.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.66 $12.66

$10.07 COP 32.0K

25.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.75 $11.75

$10.12 COP 32.1K

16.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.91 $16.91

$14.30 COP 45.4K

18.25%

Apples (1kg)

$5.49 $5.49

$4.14 COP 13.1K

32.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.61 COP 5,106

-4.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.25 COP 7,129

93.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$2.25 COP 7,150

107.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.04 COP 6,486

35.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.54 COP 4,873

92.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.17 COP 3,715

78.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.31 COP 4,148

73.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.13 $10.13

$3.90 COP 12.4K

159.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.98 $14.98

$14.01 COP 44.5K

6.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.74 COP 5,534

-1.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.87 COP 9,112

19.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.22 COP 3,858

57.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.31 COP 4,155

101.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.19 COP 6,944

-17.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.21 $31.21

$8.71 COP 27.7K

258.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.37 COP 4,334

1.46%

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

$31.7K $31.7K

$27.8K COP 88.4M

14.06%

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

$23.8K $23.8K

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-33.38%

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

$200 $200

$177 COP 562.9K

13.02%

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

$57.2 $57.2

$13.88 COP 44.1K

311.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$29.72 COP 94.4K

129.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.22 $41.22

$44.88 COP 142.5K

-8.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$15.38 $15.38

$6.65 COP 21.1K

131.28%

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

$1,555 $1,555

$813 COP 2.6M

91.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K $24.6K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

167.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 $51.6

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-42.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.77 $43.77

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-25.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 $89.6

$138 COP 438.8K

-35.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$102 COP 324.2K

10.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,561 $1,561

$1,062 COP 3.4M

47.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 $1,318

$663 COP 2.1M

98.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,631 $2,631

$1,888 COP 6.0M

39.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,125 $2,125

$1,027 COP 3.3M

106.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,569 $2,569

$4,183 COP 13.3M

-38.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$1,675 COP 5.3M

62.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

10.94

-44.06%

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

Last update for Haines, AK: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,561 in Haines, AK and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $74.0 in Haines, AK vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $305 per month, with Medellin 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

Haines, AK vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 52% lower than in Haines, AK. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,832 in Haines, AK and $2,521 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: $1,561 in Haines, AK versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,555 in Haines, AK versus $813 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $74.0 in Haines, AK. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,554 in Haines, AK, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Haines, AK. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,681 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Haines, AK 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Haines, AK. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.