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: $3,077 in Helena, MT versus $1,018 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,417 in Helena, MT versus $1,609 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,756 in Helena, MT versus $2,200 in Medellin.

Living in Helena, MT is roughly 202% more expensive than in 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

$19.87 $19.87

$5.93 COP 19.0K

235.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.3 $91.3

$33.12 COP 106.0K

175.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.61 $13.61

$7.12 COP 22.8K

91.15%

Cappuccino

$5.25 $5.25

$1.71 COP 5,457

207.02%

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

$2.24 $2.24

$1.05 COP 3,356

113.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.72 COP 2,311

147.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.05 $5.05

$1.72 COP 5,502

193.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.35 $6.35

$3.17 COP 10.2K

100.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.06 COP 3,408

11.32%

White Bread (500g)

$4.33 $4.33

$1.31 COP 4,192

230.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$1.33 COP 4,256

178.20%

Eggs

$4.19 $4.19

$2.28 COP 7,298

83.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.51 $31.51

$4.42 COP 14.1K

612.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.54 $9.54

$5.92 COP 18.9K

61.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.05 $20.05

$8.64 COP 27.7K

132.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$2.34 COP 7,504

99.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.10 COP 3,527

59.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.47 COP 4,698

197.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$1.38 COP 4,415

289.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.17 COP 3,754

88.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.17 COP 3,744

53.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 $1.68

$0.90 COP 2,890

86.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.84 COP 2,693

164.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.23 $10.23

$2.33 COP 7,449

339.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.80 $12.80

$11.92 COP 38.1K

7.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.15 COP 3,673

53.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.42 COP 7,749

2.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.54 $3.54

$0.84 COP 2,687

321.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.8 $60.8

$40.83 COP 130.7K

48.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.97 $9.97

$1.41 COP 4,517

607.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.34 $3.34

$1.91 COP 6,127

74.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.03 $45.03

$7.83 COP 25.0K

475.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$0.94 COP 3,020

-5.32%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$17.8K COP 57.0M

101.86%

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

$31.2K $31.2K

$27.1K COP 86.7M

15.06%

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

$359 $359

$83.3 COP 266.4K

331.42%

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

$78.4 $78.4

$9.66 COP 30.9K

711.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.2 $91.2

$24.22 COP 77.5K

276.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.4 $50.4

$25.22 COP 80.7K

99.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.74 $14.74

$19.33 COP 61.9K

-23.75%

Cinema Ticket

$10.54 $10.54

$4.07 COP 13.0K

158.97%

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

$1,899 $1,899

$307 COP 981.2K

519.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$5,981 COP 19.1M

286.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 $60.3

$60.0 COP 191.9K

0.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$121 $121

$32.65 COP 104.5K

269.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 $87.7

$101 COP 323.5K

-13.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$108 COP 345.7K

8.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 $1,637

$476 COP 1.5M

243.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,424 $1,424

$379 COP 1.2M

276.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,636 $2,636

$816 COP 2.6M

222.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,164 $2,164

$707 COP 2.3M

206.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,490 $3,490

$3,190 COP 10.2M

9.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,996 $2,996

$1,446 COP 4.6M

107.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,764 $6,764

$622 COP 2.0M

987.88%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,637 in Helena, MT and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Helena, MT pays 988% 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: $91.0 in Helena, MT vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $450 vs $192 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 202% in total monthly costs ($3,077 vs $1,018 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 988% higher in Helena, MT, 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: $1,637 in Helena, MT versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,899 in Helena, MT versus $307 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 134% higher in Helena, MT. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,018 in Medellin versus $3,077 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 202% less than in Helena, MT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.