Cost of Living Comparison Between Handan and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Handan and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $688 per month in Handan vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,095 per month in Handan vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,501 per month in Handan vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Handan is about 31% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Handan and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Handan 48% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.77 ¥11.91

$5.91 COP 18.4K

-70.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.52 ¥138

$32.96 COP 102.7K

-37.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.29 ¥28.90

$7.43 COP 23.1K

-42.26%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ¥20.19

$1.65 COP 5,153

81.21%

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

$0.36 ¥2.45

$1.10 COP 3,432

-67.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.80

$0.78 COP 2,433

-65.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.87 ¥5.88

$1.72 COP 5,356

-49.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ¥14.26

$3.18 COP 9,904

-33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 ¥12.44

$1.10 COP 3,439

68.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 ¥10.38

$1.26 COP 3,921

22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ¥6.36

$1.38 COP 4,304

-31.88%

Eggs

$1.63 ¥11.01

$2.18 COP 6,788

-25.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.65 ¥85.3

$4.49 COP 14.0K

181.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ¥20.91

$5.79 COP 18.0K

-46.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.07 ¥67.9

$8.97 COP 27.9K

12.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.10

$2.32 COP 7,232

-22.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.12

$1.06 COP 3,318

13.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 ¥9.21

$1.52 COP 4,725

-9.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 ¥7.27

$1.36 COP 4,226

-20.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.82

$1.13 COP 3,515

-37.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.11

$1.17 COP 3,651

-22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ¥4.09

$0.90 COP 2,809

-32.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ¥3.73

$0.90 COP 2,794

-38.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.21 ¥21.64

$2.23 COP 6,961

43.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.93 ¥66.9

$12.12 COP 37.8K

-18.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.38

$1.19 COP 3,704

-32.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ¥10.77

$2.48 COP 7,735

-35.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.81

$0.85 COP 2,660

-68.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.69 ¥113

$41.62 COP 129.7K

-59.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ¥9.57

$1.42 COP 4,413

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.41

$1.95 COP 6,078

-81.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.72 ¥45.29

$7.89 COP 24.6K

-14.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.61

$0.99 COP 3,086

14.14%

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

$19.0K ¥128.4K

$17.6K COP 54.8M

8.21%

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

$17.0K ¥114.8K

$26.8K COP 83.5M

-36.46%

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

$45.38 ¥306

$83.0 COP 258.7K

-45.33%

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

$9.60 ¥64.7

$9.70 COP 30.2K

-1.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.69 ¥78.8

$23.52 COP 73.3K

-50.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.45 ¥279

$25.26 COP 78.7K

64.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.75 ¥92.7

$19.10 COP 59.5K

-28.01%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 ¥41.07

$3.95 COP 12.3K

54.18%

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

$334 ¥2,253

$316 COP 984.0K

5.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K ¥116.2K

$5,975 COP 18.6M

188.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.27 ¥292

$60.0 COP 187.0K

-27.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.57 ¥206

$31.82 COP 99.1K

-3.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.4 ¥488

$102 COP 316.8K

-28.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.4 ¥502

$107 COP 334.8K

-30.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 ¥1,858

$475 COP 1.5M

-41.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 ¥1,245

$374 COP 1.2M

-50.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 ¥3,929

$849 COP 2.6M

-31.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 ¥2,397

$719 COP 2.2M

-50.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,255 ¥21.9K

$3,265 COP 10.2M

-0.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,008 ¥13.5K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

39.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ¥4,309

$624 COP 1.9M

2.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.87

13.43

-71.18%

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

Last update for Handan: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $276 in Handan versus $475 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2% higher in Handan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Handan versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $195 in Handan vs $193 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Handan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 46%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,033 per month in Handan and $1,504 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Handan and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $688 in Handan and $1,003 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Handan, where all-in costs run around $688, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Handan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Handan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Handan. 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.