Cost of Living Comparison Between Half Way Tree and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Half Way Tree and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $871 per month in Half Way Tree vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,444 per month in Half Way Tree vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,016 per month in Half Way Tree vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Half Way Tree is about 47% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Half Way Tree sits 37% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.65 JMD 730

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-42.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.1 JMD 11.9K

$48.29 COP 148.6K

57.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.59 JMD 1,349

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-8.81%

Cappuccino

$5.42 JMD 851

$2.94 COP 9,040

84.35%

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

$0.92 JMD 145

$1.86 COP 5,735

-50.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 JMD 96.5

$1.46 COP 4,479

-58.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 JMD 337

$3.21 COP 9,882

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 JMD 505

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-43.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.89 JMD 611

$1.44 COP 4,428

170.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 JMD 273

$2.40 COP 7,389

-27.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 JMD 212

$1.70 COP 5,228

-20.59%

Eggs

$3.50 JMD 549

$2.89 COP 8,896

21.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.61 JMD 1,823

$10.06 COP 30.9K

15.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.28 JMD 987

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-37.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.21 JMD 1,604

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-28.10%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 JMD 674

$3.98 COP 12.3K

7.79%

Banana (1kg)

$4.00 JMD 629

$1.58 COP 4,878

153.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 JMD 661

$2.15 COP 6,624

95.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.82 JMD 442

$2.30 COP 7,078

22.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 JMD 432

$2.00 COP 6,169

37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 JMD 425

$1.51 COP 4,646

79.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 JMD 200

$1.20 COP 3,701

6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 JMD 142

$1.28 COP 3,946

-29.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.73 JMD 1,529

$3.84 COP 11.8K

153.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.18 JMD 1,756

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-20.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 JMD 456

$1.71 COP 5,256

69.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 JMD 617

$2.74 COP 8,440

43.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.40 JMD 6,817

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-44.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 JMD 153

$1.31 COP 4,016

-25.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.08 JMD 483

$2.17 COP 6,680

41.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.49 JMD 1,019

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-21.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 JMD 223

$1.36 COP 4,172

4.41%

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

$44.0K JMD 6.9M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

60.07%

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

$32.9K JMD 5.2M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-10.05%

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

$172 JMD 27.0K

$169 COP 519.2K

1.90%

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

$29.24 JMD 4,594

$13.57 COP 41.8K

115.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.52 JMD 6,993

$28.32 COP 87.2K

57.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$13.51 JMD 2,122

$6.65 COP 20.5K

103.16%

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

$63.9 JMD 10.0K

$803 COP 2.5M

-92.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,392 JMD 1.3M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-8.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.95 JMD 2,506

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-81.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.03 JMD 5,032

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-46.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$31.91 JMD 5,013

$139 COP 427.5K

-77.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.78 JMD 4,991

$102 COP 314.0K

-68.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 JMD 175.7K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

4.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

10.94

-13.62%

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

Last update for Half Way Tree: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,118 in Half Way Tree versus $1,071 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Half Way Tree versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $323 vs $300 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Half Way Tree vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 88% more than Half Way Tree, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,307 per month in Half Way Tree and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Half Way Tree, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 79% less in Half Way Tree. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $63.9 per month in Half Way Tree and $803 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Half Way Tree, where all-in costs run around $871, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Half Way Tree it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Half Way Tree costs $871 versus $1,641 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Half Way Tree. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.