Cost of Living Comparison Between Helena, MT and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Helena, MT and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,096 in Helena, MT versus $1,030 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,387 in Helena, MT versus $1,586 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,679 in Helena, MT versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Helena, MT is roughly 201% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Helena, MT is 131% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.99 $19.99

$5.92 COP 21.2K

237.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.8 $88.8

$33.17 COP 118.7K

167.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.56 $13.56

$7.25 COP 25.9K

87.03%

Cappuccino

$5.25 $5.25

$1.71 COP 6,137

207.02%

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

$2.26 $2.26

$1.09 COP 3,915

107.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$0.77 COP 2,743

120.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 $5.08

$1.75 COP 6,254

190.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.32 $6.32

$3.18 COP 11.4K

98.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.06 COP 3,792

10.38%

White Bread (500g)

$4.46 $4.46

$1.30 COP 4,657

243.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$1.38 COP 4,926

161.59%

Eggs

$4.26 $4.26

$2.21 COP 7,908

92.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.79 $30.79

$4.52 COP 16.2K

581.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.17 $9.17

$5.80 COP 20.7K

58.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.12 $20.12

$8.97 COP 32.1K

124.30%

Apples (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$2.29 COP 8,182

103.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.06 COP 3,791

66.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$1.51 COP 5,411

205.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$1.36 COP 4,869

305.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.16 COP 4,146

92.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.17 COP 4,174

62.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.67 $1.67

$0.83 COP 2,960

101.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$0.85 COP 3,043

171.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.15 $10.15

$2.35 COP 8,423

331.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.79 $12.79

$11.09 COP 39.7K

15.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.15 COP 4,133

49.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.47 COP 8,853

6.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.56 $3.56

$0.79 COP 2,827

350.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.0 $60.0

$41.85 COP 149.8K

43.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.96 $9.96

$1.44 COP 5,140

591.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.44 $3.44

$1.90 COP 6,793

81.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.82 $45.82

$7.70 COP 27.6K

495.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.03 COP 3,680

-12.62%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$17.7K COP 63.3M

101.64%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$27.0K COP 96.7M

11.03%

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

$367 $367

$81.4 COP 291.4K

351.03%

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

$77.4 $77.4

$9.42 COP 33.7K

721.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.8 $91.8

$23.77 COP 85.1K

286.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.8 $50.8

$25.86 COP 92.6K

96.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.06 $15.06

$19.34 COP 69.2K

-22.13%

Cinema Ticket

$10.30 $10.30

$4.05 COP 14.5K

154.32%

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

$1,875 $1,875

$312 COP 1.1M

499.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$6,067 COP 21.7M

283.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 $60.3

$58.9 COP 210.7K

2.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$120 $120

$32.82 COP 117.5K

264.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 $87.8

$100 COP 359.6K

-12.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$106 COP 380.3K

6.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 $1,630

$490 COP 1.8M

232.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 $1,406

$371 COP 1.3M

279.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,549 $2,549

$838 COP 3.0M

204.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,210 $2,210

$715 COP 2.6M

209.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,812 $3,812

$2,952 COP 10.6M

29.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,189 $3,189

$1,394 COP 5.0M

128.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,937 $6,937

$532 COP 1.9M

1203.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.71

13.43

-50.04%

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

Last update for Helena, MT: April 19, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,630 in Helena, MT and $490 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Helena, MT pays 1204% 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: $89 in Helena, MT vs $33 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $451 vs $190 per month, with Medellin 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

Helena, MT vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Helena, MT and Medellin differ by about 201% in total monthly costs ($3,096 vs $1,030 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Helena, MT pays 1204% more on average, 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: $1,630 in Helena, MT versus $490 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,875 in Helena, MT versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 137% higher in Helena, MT. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,030 in Medellin versus $3,096 in Helena, MT, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Helena, MT. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin 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.

Safety-wise, Helena, MT and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 201% less than in Helena, MT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.