Cost of Living Comparison Between Harlingen, TX and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Harlingen, TX and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,476 in Harlingen, TX versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,902 in Harlingen, TX versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,328 in Harlingen, TX versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Harlingen, TX costs roughly 10% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Harlingen, TX 7% above, Medellin 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.27 $12.27

$8.04 COP 24.8K

52.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.09 $46.09

$48.29 COP 148.9K

-4.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.03 $9.03

$9.42 COP 29.1K

-4.14%

Cappuccino

$4.98 $4.98

$2.94 COP 9,056

69.39%

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

$1.96 $1.96

$1.86 COP 5,745

5.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.46 COP 4,487

39.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.02 $6.02

$3.21 COP 9,899

87.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 $4.43

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-22.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.44 COP 4,436

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,401

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,237

Eggs

$3.66 $3.66

$2.89 COP 8,911

26.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.0K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.8K

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.58 COP 4,886

-18.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,635

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,090

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,179

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,654

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,707

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,953

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,265

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,454

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,840

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 240.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,023

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,692

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.36 COP 4,179

-27.94%

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

$27.5K COP 84.7M

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

$36.5K COP 112.6M

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

$198 $198

$169 COP 520.1K

17.27%

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

$98.2 $98.2

$13.57 COP 41.8K

623.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.62 $49.62

$28.32 COP 87.3K

75.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.1K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 269.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 183.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 428.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$852 $852

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-20.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$877 $877

$653 COP 2.0M

34.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 $1,379

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-28.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,042 $1,042

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-0.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,826 $1,826

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-55.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,873 $1,873

$1,697 COP 5.2M

10.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,167 $4,167

$655 COP 2.0M

536.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Harlingen, TX: September 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $852 in Harlingen, TX and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Harlingen, TX pays 536% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Harlingen, TX vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $32.00 vs $300 per month, with Harlingen, TX 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

Harlingen, TX vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Harlingen, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Harlingen, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 536% higher in Harlingen, TX, 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: $852 in Harlingen, TX versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,476 per month in Harlingen, TX versus $1,641 in Medellin – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 840% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,476 in Harlingen, TX versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Harlingen, TX but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Harlingen, TX the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Harlingen, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,476 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Harlingen, TX hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Harlingen, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.