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: $877 in Havana versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,453 in Havana versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,029 in Havana versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Havana costs roughly 49% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Havana is 36% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.81 CUP 91.4

$8.03 COP 25.3K

-52.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.24 CUP 654

$48.26 COP 152.3K

-43.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 CUP 120

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-48.93%

Cappuccino

$1.08 CUP 26.03

$2.91 COP 9,185

-62.89%

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

$1.68 CUP 40.26

$1.94 COP 6,134

-13.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 CUP 24.33

$1.52 COP 4,801

-33.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 CUP 37.42

$3.09 COP 9,759

-49.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 CUP 47.65

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-65.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.79 CUP 90.9

$1.36 COP 4,304

178.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 CUP 36.47

$2.39 COP 7,534

-36.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 CUP 51.4

$1.70 COP 5,366

25.88%

Eggs

$3.62 CUP 86.9

$2.87 COP 9,056

26.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.37 CUP 105

$9.94 COP 31.4K

-56.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 CUP 110

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-57.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.70 CUP 209

$14.73 COP 46.5K

-40.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 CUP 142

$4.09 COP 12.9K

45.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 CUP 26.17

$1.57 COP 4,960

-30.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CUP 92.3

$2.13 COP 6,708

80.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 CUP 55.9

$2.21 COP 6,985

5.43%

Potato (1kg)

$3.71 CUP 89.0

$2.05 COP 6,460

80.98%

Onion (1kg)

$4.07 CUP 97.6

$1.50 COP 4,747

171.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 CUP 19.55

$1.19 COP 3,755

-31.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 CUP 33.68

$1.16 COP 3,654

20.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 CUP 46.68

$3.90 COP 12.3K

-50.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.09 CUP 98.2

$14.44 COP 45.6K

-71.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 CUP 36.68

$1.58 COP 4,997

-3.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 CUP 49.64

$2.83 COP 8,923

-26.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 CUP 29.63

$1.17 COP 3,686

5.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.69 CUP 545

$77.7 COP 245.3K

-70.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 CUP 63.0

$1.28 COP 4,054

105.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 CUP 10.47

$2.09 COP 6,602

-78.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.37 CUP 489

$8.62 COP 27.2K

136.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CUP 29.97

$1.30 COP 4,096

-3.85%

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

$61.1K CUP 1.5M

$27.7K COP 87.3M

120.88%

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

$61.0K CUP 1.5M

$35.5K COP 112.0M

71.80%

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

$47.74 CUP 1,146

$176 COP 555.6K

-72.89%

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

$39.30 CUP 943

$13.37 COP 42.2K

193.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.8 CUP 2,179

$29.89 COP 94.3K

203.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.09 CUP 458

$44.76 COP 141.2K

-57.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.13 CUP 315

$17.06 COP 53.8K

-23.04%

Cinema Ticket

$0.82 CUP 19.65

$6.20 COP 19.6K

-86.77%

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

$113 CUP 2,708

$793 COP 2.5M

-85.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,009 CUP 168.2K

$9,019 COP 28.5M

-22.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.64 CUP 903

$85.6 COP 270.1K

-56.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.87 CUP 885

$58.5 COP 184.5K

-36.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.9 CUP 1,678

$136 COP 430.1K

-48.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.9 CUP 1,367

$103 COP 325.4K

-44.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$256 CUP 6,148

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-75.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$216 CUP 5,184

$680 COP 2.1M

-68.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 CUP 22.8K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-52.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 CUP 12.9K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-53.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$334 CUP 8,012

$4,111 COP 13.0M

-91.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$399 CUP 9,564

$1,701 COP 5.4M

-76.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$33.40 CUP 802

$665 COP 2.1M

-94.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

10.94

-16.82%

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

Last update for Havana: September 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $256 in Havana and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 1892% 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: $27.00 in Havana vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $261 vs $303 per month, with Havana cheaper across the board.

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 96% in total monthly costs ($877 vs $1,716 including rent). Havana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1892% 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: $256 in Havana versus $1,060 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 $27.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $877 per month in Havana versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 96% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $877 in Havana versus $1,716 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 96% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.