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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,812 per month in Hastings vs $1,687 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,677 per month in Hastings vs $2,535 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,541 per month in Hastings vs $3,383 in Medellin, rent included.

Hastings costs about 7% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Hastings and Medellin sit above the global median – Hastings by 32%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 NZ$20.08

$7.89 COP 24.2K

51.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.3 NZ$97.9

$44.53 COP 136.5K

30.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.61 NZ$16.14

$9.29 COP 28.5K

3.44%

Cappuccino

$3.39 NZ$5.70

$2.90 COP 8,874

16.90%

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

$1.90 NZ$3.18

$1.81 COP 5,541

4.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 NZ$2.43

$1.55 COP 4,741

-6.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.58 NZ$7.69

$3.25 COP 9,962

40.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.02 NZ$10.11

$5.88 COP 18.0K

2.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 NZ$3.14

$1.38 COP 4,230

35.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 NZ$3.88

$2.45 COP 7,517

-5.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 NZ$3.05

$1.51 COP 4,617

20.53%

Eggs

$5.72 NZ$9.61

$2.78 COP 8,516

105.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 NZ$13.18

$9.05 COP 27.7K

-13.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.06 NZ$16.89

$10.65 COP 32.6K

-5.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 NZ$20.86

$14.63 COP 44.8K

-15.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 NZ$4.54

$3.97 COP 12.2K

-31.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 NZ$3.43

$1.38 COP 4,219

47.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 NZ$5.21

$2.30 COP 7,056

34.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.47 NZ$5.83

$2.02 COP 6,185

71.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 NZ$3.08

$2.09 COP 6,390

-11.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 NZ$1.85

$1.63 COP 4,996

-32.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 NZ$2.56

$1.08 COP 3,313

40.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 NZ$1.68

$1.25 COP 3,843

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.66 NZ$31.34

$4.03 COP 12.4K

363.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.72 NZ$16.32

$13.47 COP 41.3K

-27.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.31 NZ$5.55

$1.60 COP 4,904

106.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 NZ$5.09

$3.00 COP 9,189

1.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.86 NZ$4.81

$1.18 COP 3,611

142.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.6 NZ$145

$79.9 COP 244.9K

8.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 NZ$3.18

$1.61 COP 4,920

17.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 NZ$3.20

$2.13 COP 6,533

-10.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.32 NZ$59.3

$8.52 COP 26.1K

314.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 NZ$2.66

$1.35 COP 4,142

17.78%

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

$26.1K NZ$43.9K

$28.3K COP 86.8M

-7.69%

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

$23.4K NZ$39.3K

$35.7K COP 109.4M

-34.35%

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

$202 NZ$339

$151 COP 463.8K

33.15%

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

$32.70 NZ$54.9

$13.10 COP 40.1K

149.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.1 NZ$92.5

$32.30 COP 99.0K

70.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.07 NZ$48.82

$46.33 COP 141.9K

-37.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$10.55 NZ$17.72

$6.43 COP 19.7K

64.07%

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

$1,131 NZ$1,900

$835 COP 2.6M

35.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K NZ$22.6K

$8,887 COP 27.2M

51.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.19 NZ$82.6

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-44.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.30 NZ$49.21

$55.3 COP 169.5K

-47.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 NZ$176

$137 COP 418.5K

-23.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 NZ$159

$109 COP 335.1K

-13.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$857 NZ$1,440

$952 COP 2.9M

-9.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$744 NZ$1,250

$668 COP 2.0M

11.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,642 NZ$2,757

$2,020 COP 6.2M

-18.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 NZ$1,998

$1,148 COP 3.5M

3.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,099 NZ$8,563

$3,696 COP 11.3M

37.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,021 NZ$5,073

$1,586 COP 4.9M

90.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,643 NZ$2,758

$625 COP 1.9M

162.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

10.43

-48.32%

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

Last update for Hastings: August 18, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $857 in Hastings versus $952 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 163% 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 $58.0 in Hastings versus $45.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $306 vs $297 – 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 7% more than Medellin, 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 $2,718 per month in Hastings and $2,530 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 3% 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 $58.0 in Hastings and $45.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,687, than in Hastings at $1,812. 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 $1,687 versus $1,812 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.