Cost of Living Comparison Between Hella and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Hella and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,627 per month in Hella vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,850 per month in Hella vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,074 per month in Hella vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Hella costs about 62% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Hella sits 22% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.50 ISK 3,276

$5.91 COP 18.6K

348.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 ISK 18.2K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

345.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$22.27 ISK 2,753

$7.43 COP 23.4K

199.73%

Cappuccino

$6.01 ISK 743

$1.65 COP 5,207

264.24%

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

$3.26 ISK 403

$1.10 COP 3,468

196.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 ISK 312

$0.78 COP 2,458

223.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.63 ISK 1,561

$1.72 COP 5,412

634.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.04 ISK 1,365

$3.18 COP 10.0K

247.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ISK 240

$1.10 COP 3,474

76.36%

White Bread (500g)

$4.30 ISK 532

$1.26 COP 3,962

241.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 ISK 462

$1.38 COP 4,349

171.01%

Eggs

$6.40 ISK 791

$2.18 COP 6,858

193.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.20 ISK 2,250

$4.49 COP 14.1K

305.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.23 ISK 2,995

$5.79 COP 18.2K

318.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.93 ISK 5,183

$8.97 COP 28.2K

367.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 ISK 398

$2.32 COP 7,308

38.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 ISK 314

$1.06 COP 3,352

139.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 ISK 375

$1.52 COP 4,774

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.95 ISK 612

$1.36 COP 4,270

263.97%

Potato (1kg)

$3.55 ISK 439

$1.13 COP 3,552

214.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 ISK 286

$1.17 COP 3,689

97.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.13 ISK 387

$0.90 COP 2,838

247.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ISK 241

$0.90 COP 2,823

116.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.41 ISK 1,658

$2.23 COP 7,034

501.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.81 ISK 2,820

$12.12 COP 38.2K

88.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.55 ISK 439

$1.19 COP 3,743

198.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ISK 416

$2.48 COP 7,815

35.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.49 ISK 803

$1.42 COP 4,459

357.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.61 ISK 323

$1.95 COP 6,141

33.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$84.9 ISK 10.5K

$7.89 COP 24.8K

976.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.47 ISK 305

$0.99 COP 3,118

149.49%

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

$48.2K ISK 6.0M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

173.75%

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

$52.6K ISK 6.5M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

96.46%

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

$88.7 ISK 11.0K

$83.0 COP 261.4K

6.84%

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

$27.34 ISK 3,380

$9.70 COP 30.5K

181.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.8 ISK 10.4K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

256.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$17.86 ISK 2,208

$3.95 COP 12.4K

352.15%

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

$317 ISK 39.1K

$316 COP 994.2K

0.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.3K ISK 3.7M

$5,975 COP 18.8M

407.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 ISK 17.4K

$60.0 COP 188.9K

134.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 ISK 7,748

$31.82 COP 100.2K

96.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$181 ISK 22.4K

$102 COP 320.1K

78.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$261 ISK 32.2K

$107 COP 338.3K

142.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.63

13.43

-28.29%

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

Last update for Hella: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $147 in Hella versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $594 vs $193 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Hella vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,627 in Hella, $1,003 in Medellin – roughly 62% apart. Hella costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,440 per month in Hella and $1,504 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,627 in Hella and $1,003 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $317 per month in Hella and $316 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Hella at $1,627. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hella it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,003 in Medellin to $1,627 in Hella. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hella makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.