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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $691 per month in Handan vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,111 per month in Handan vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,531 per month in Handan vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Handan is about 33% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Handan and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Handan 48% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.77 ¥12.12

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-70.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.83 ¥143

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-36.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 ¥28.37

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-42.50%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ¥20.07

$1.70 COP 6,140

72.35%

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

$0.37 ¥2.51

$1.10 COP 3,966

-66.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.84

$0.72 COP 2,605

-62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.95 ¥6.52

$1.67 COP 6,022

-43.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ¥14.68

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-30.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 ¥12.20

$1.06 COP 3,809

67.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥10.86

$1.25 COP 4,497

27.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.54

$1.39 COP 5,022

-30.94%

Eggs

$1.64 ¥11.20

$2.26 COP 8,168

-27.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.07 ¥89.5

$4.33 COP 15.6K

201.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ¥21.83

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-45.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.17 ¥69.7

$8.83 COP 31.9K

15.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.36

$2.24 COP 8,099

-19.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ¥8.51

$1.08 COP 3,882

14.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.73

$1.53 COP 5,522

-7.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.83

$1.37 COP 4,950

-16.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ¥4.56

$1.13 COP 4,078

-40.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.35

$1.12 COP 4,036

-16.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.85 COP 3,057

-32.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.70

$0.91 COP 3,281

-40.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ¥22.03

$2.33 COP 8,414

38.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.04 ¥68.8

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-9.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.48

$1.19 COP 4,309

-32.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 ¥10.88

$2.37 COP 8,553

-32.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.84

$0.79 COP 2,838

-65.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.41 ¥112

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-60.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ¥9.36

$1.44 COP 5,184

-4.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$1.91 COP 6,901

-81.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.81 ¥46.64

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-15.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.66

$0.94 COP 3,385

19.15%

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

$19.1K ¥130.9K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

6.63%

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

$16.6K ¥113.6K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-38.10%

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

$46.67 ¥320

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-44.41%

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

$10.08 ¥69.0

$9.60 COP 34.7K

5.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.77 ¥80.7

$24.16 COP 87.2K

-51.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.90 ¥287

$25.88 COP 93.4K

61.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.19 ¥97.2

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-25.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.22 ¥42.60

$3.92 COP 14.1K

58.67%

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

$334 ¥2,286

$306 COP 1.1M

8.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K ¥114.1K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

181.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.78 ¥300

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-24.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.48 ¥209

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-4.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 ¥499

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-27.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ¥514

$107 COP 386.8K

-29.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$274 ¥1,880

$487 COP 1.8M

-43.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 ¥1,259

$368 COP 1.3M

-50.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 ¥4,048

$826 COP 3.0M

-28.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 ¥2,498

$716 COP 2.6M

-49.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,417 ¥23.4K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

16.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,243 ¥15.4K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

59.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$743 ¥5,088

$546 COP 2.0M

36.15%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $274 in Handan versus $487 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 36% 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 – $197 in Handan vs $190 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 50%, 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 $1,037 per month in Handan and $1,550 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 $691 in Handan and $1,034 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 $691, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.