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: $3,088 in Helena, MT versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,402 in Helena, MT versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,715 in Helena, MT versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Helena, MT is roughly 205% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Helena, MT is 130% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.36 $20.36

$5.99 COP 21.5K

239.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.6 $91.6

$32.86 COP 118.1K

178.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.52 $13.52

$7.09 COP 25.5K

90.69%

Cappuccino

$5.17 $5.17

$1.71 COP 6,154

202.34%

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

$2.25 $2.25

$1.10 COP 3,949

104.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$0.78 COP 2,798

119.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.07 $5.07

$1.68 COP 6,035

201.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.53 $6.53

$3.07 COP 11.0K

112.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.09 COP 3,930

7.34%

White Bread (500g)

$4.52 $4.52

$1.26 COP 4,536

258.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$1.38 COP 4,953

171.01%

Eggs

$4.11 $4.11

$2.19 COP 7,876

87.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.36 $31.36

$4.40 COP 15.8K

612.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.28 $9.28

$5.63 COP 20.2K

64.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.20 $20.20

$8.89 COP 32.0K

127.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$2.34 COP 8,401

99.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.06 COP 3,801

67.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$1.50 COP 5,408

207.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$1.38 COP 4,955

294.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.15 COP 4,137

84.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.16 COP 4,181

56.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 $1.70

$0.89 COP 3,202

91.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$0.84 COP 3,016

180.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.99 $9.99

$2.28 COP 8,196

338.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.24 $13.24

$10.64 COP 38.2K

24.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.20 COP 4,311

42.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.47 COP 8,880

3.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.40 $3.40

$0.86 COP 3,075

295.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.9 $59.9

$41.40 COP 148.8K

44.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.87 $9.87

$1.47 COP 5,297

571.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.41 $3.41

$1.96 COP 7,053

73.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.26 $45.26

$7.74 COP 27.8K

484.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$0.95 COP 3,430

-10.53%

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

$36.5K $36.5K

$18.1K COP 65.2M

101.43%

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

$30.9K $30.9K

$26.5K COP 95.2M

16.49%

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

$356 $356

$82.3 COP 295.6K

332.84%

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

$75.9 $75.9

$9.50 COP 34.1K

699.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.9 $89.9

$24.23 COP 87.1K

271.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.5 $50.5

$25.89 COP 93.0K

95.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.72 $14.72

$19.00 COP 68.3K

-22.53%

Cinema Ticket

$10.69 $10.69

$3.93 COP 14.1K

172.01%

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

$1,913 $1,913

$309 COP 1.1M

518.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K $22.4K

$5,965 COP 21.4M

275.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 $61.5

$58.7 COP 210.8K

4.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$120 $120

$32.35 COP 116.2K

270.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 $86.9

$103 COP 368.7K

-15.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$108 COP 389.6K

6.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,648 $1,648

$476 COP 1.7M

246.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,417 $1,417

$379 COP 1.4M

273.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,605 $2,605

$838 COP 3.0M

210.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,210 $2,210

$724 COP 2.6M

205.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,510 $3,510

$2,791 COP 10.0M

25.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,998 $2,998

$1,211 COP 4.4M

147.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,935 $6,935

$512 COP 1.8M

1255.05%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,648 in Helena, MT and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Helena, MT pays 1255% 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: $92.0 in Helena, MT vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $454 vs $188 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 205% in total monthly costs ($3,088 vs $1,013 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Helena, MT pays 1255% 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: $1,648 in Helena, MT versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,913 in Helena, MT versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 141% higher in Helena, MT. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $3,088 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 205% less than in Helena, MT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.