Cost of Living Comparison Between Havana and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Havana and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $976 in Havana versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,540 in Havana versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,104 in Havana versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Havana costs roughly 5% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Havana 27% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.71 CUP 89.0

$6.16 COP 20.0K

-39.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.50 CUP 708

$32.60 COP 106.0K

-9.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.67 CUP 160

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-9.13%

Cappuccino

$1.18 CUP 28.38

$1.72 COP 5,592

-31.40%

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

$2.26 CUP 54.1

$1.05 COP 3,416

115.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CUP 35.04

$0.77 COP 2,511

89.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 CUP 49.10

$1.69 COP 5,480

21.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 CUP 61.3

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-19.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.27 CUP 78.5

$1.05 COP 3,418

211.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 CUP 25.16

$1.30 COP 4,230

-19.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 CUP 57.9

$1.40 COP 4,538

72.14%

Eggs

$3.64 CUP 87.4

$2.16 COP 7,037

68.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.05 CUP 121

$4.39 COP 14.3K

15.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.31 CUP 127

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-9.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 CUP 228

$8.64 COP 28.1K

9.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.89 CUP 117

$2.28 COP 7,415

114.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 CUP 32.72

$1.11 COP 3,599

22.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.54 CUP 61.0

$1.53 COP 4,976

66.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 CUP 41.33

$1.35 COP 4,405

27.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 CUP 67.9

$1.13 COP 3,669

150.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 CUP 69.6

$1.13 COP 3,687

156.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 CUP 23.55

$0.85 COP 2,749

15.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 CUP 27.18

$0.91 COP 2,971

24.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 CUP 97.9

$2.34 COP 7,619

74.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.04 CUP 97.0

$12.37 COP 40.2K

-67.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 CUP 48.41

$1.20 COP 3,904

68.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 CUP 47.96

$2.49 COP 8,094

-19.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 CUP 30.46

$0.84 COP 2,724

51.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.17 CUP 604

$40.57 COP 131.9K

-37.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 CUP 75.5

$1.42 COP 4,617

121.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 CUP 12.34

$1.92 COP 6,227

-73.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.87 CUP 357

$7.66 COP 24.9K

94.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CUP 29.36

$0.99 COP 3,219

23.23%

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

$58.8K CUP 1.4M

$18.0K COP 58.6M

226.25%

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

$67.6K CUP 1.6M

$26.6K COP 86.6M

153.69%

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

$37.01 CUP 888

$80.8 COP 262.7K

-54.20%

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

$40.52 CUP 972

$9.95 COP 32.3K

307.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.1 CUP 1,827

$24.18 COP 78.6K

214.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.10 CUP 986

$25.08 COP 81.5K

63.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.06 CUP 145

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-68.36%

Cinema Ticket

$0.82 CUP 19.68

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-79.40%

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

$111 CUP 2,666

$305 COP 992.2K

-63.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K CUP 240.3K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

65.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.17 CUP 940

$58.1 COP 189.0K

-32.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.79 CUP 811

$32.20 COP 104.7K

4.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 CUP 1,818

$101 COP 327.5K

-24.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.3 CUP 2,023

$108 COP 350.3K

-21.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 CUP 8,750

$477 COP 1.5M

-23.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 CUP 6,893

$376 COP 1.2M

-23.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,040 CUP 25.0K

$845 COP 2.7M

23.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$601 CUP 14.4K

$730 COP 2.4M

-17.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$327 CUP 7,853

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-89.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$405 CUP 9,718

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-70.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$31.89 CUP 765

$617 COP 2.0M

-94.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

13.43

-44.68%

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

Last update for Havana: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $365 in Havana and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 1834% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $30.00 in Havana vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $193, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Havana vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Havana and Medellin differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($976 vs $1,031 including rent). Havana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1834% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $365 in Havana versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Havana – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $976 per month in Havana versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $976 in Havana versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Havana but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Havana the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Havana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.