Cost of Living Comparison Between Hastings and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Hastings and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,437 per month in Hastings vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,262 per month in Hastings vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,088 per month in Hastings vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Hastings costs about 41% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Hastings sits 7% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 NZ$20.35

$5.95 COP 20.8K

100.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.3 NZ$142

$33.33 COP 116.3K

149.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.61 NZ$16.42

$7.23 COP 25.2K

32.92%

Cappuccino

$3.35 NZ$5.72

$1.63 COP 5,687

105.52%

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

$1.85 NZ$3.17

$1.09 COP 3,821

69.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 NZ$3.54

$0.73 COP 2,548

184.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 NZ$10.46

$1.74 COP 6,065

252.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.40 NZ$12.64

$3.23 COP 11.3K

129.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 NZ$3.22

$1.05 COP 3,662

80.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 NZ$3.44

$1.29 COP 4,515

55.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.17

$1.32 COP 4,617

40.91%

Eggs

$6.02 NZ$10.29

$2.27 COP 7,927

165.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.20 NZ$14.00

$4.35 COP 15.2K

88.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.22 NZ$19.15

$5.88 COP 20.5K

90.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 NZ$21.81

$8.61 COP 30.0K

48.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 NZ$4.85

$2.25 COP 7,844

26.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 NZ$3.50

$1.07 COP 3,733

91.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 NZ$5.30

$1.52 COP 5,322

103.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 NZ$8.20

$1.42 COP 4,964

238.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.88 NZ$3.20

$1.17 COP 4,084

60.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 NZ$2.49

$1.17 COP 4,077

24.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 NZ$3.74

$0.89 COP 3,096

146.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 NZ$1.66

$0.90 COP 3,146

7.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.11 NZ$37.76

$2.25 COP 7,837

882.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.63 NZ$16.45

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-12.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.69 NZ$6.31

$1.14 COP 3,977

223.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 NZ$5.10

$2.38 COP 8,301

25.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 NZ$4.17

$0.84 COP 2,916

190.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.2 NZ$103

$41.95 COP 146.4K

43.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 NZ$4.56

$1.41 COP 4,912

89.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NZ$3.14

$1.90 COP 6,634

-3.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.1 NZ$104

$7.75 COP 27.0K

688.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 NZ$2.96

$1.01 COP 3,509

72.28%

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

$31.1K NZ$53.2K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

77.11%

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

$21.0K NZ$35.9K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-20.63%

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

$160 NZ$273

$83.7 COP 292.1K

91.14%

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

$33.00 NZ$56.4

$9.45 COP 33.0K

249.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 NZ$87.9

$24.11 COP 84.1K

113.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.80 NZ$62.8

$25.31 COP 88.3K

45.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.00 NZ$20.49

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-37.30%

Cinema Ticket

$10.92 NZ$18.66

$4.10 COP 14.3K

166.34%

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

$791 NZ$1,350

$312 COP 1.1M

153.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K NZ$21.5K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

109.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.2 NZ$106

$58.0 COP 202.6K

7.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 NZ$88.9

$32.56 COP 113.6K

59.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 NZ$192

$99.6 COP 347.7K

13.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 NZ$227

$109 COP 378.8K

22.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 NZ$673

$482 COP 1.7M

-18.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 NZ$585

$379 COP 1.3M

-9.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 NZ$1,846

$837 COP 2.9M

29.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 NZ$1,014

$723 COP 2.5M

-17.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,645 NZ$2,810

$541 COP 1.9M

204.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

13.43

-48.32%

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

Last update for Hastings: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $394 in Hastings versus $482 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 204% higher in Hastings, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Hastings versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $190 – 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

Hastings vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hastings costs about 41% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,156 per month in Hastings and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 71% more in Hastings, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Hastings and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Hastings at $1,437. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hastings it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,017 versus $1,437 in Hastings. 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hastings makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.