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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,637 per month in Hella vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,843 per month in Hella vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,048 per month in Hella vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Hella costs about 58% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Hella sits 22% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.19 ISK 3,329

$5.92 COP 21.5K

359.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 ISK 17.9K

$32.75 COP 119.1K

347.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$22.26 ISK 2,726

$7.20 COP 26.2K

209.17%

Cappuccino

$6.27 ISK 768

$1.70 COP 6,186

268.82%

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

$3.29 ISK 403

$1.10 COP 3,996

199.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 ISK 306

$0.72 COP 2,625

247.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.92 ISK 1,583

$1.67 COP 6,067

673.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.32 ISK 1,386

$3.10 COP 11.3K

265.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ISK 237

$1.06 COP 3,837

82.08%

White Bread (500g)

$4.36 ISK 534

$1.25 COP 4,531

248.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 ISK 442

$1.39 COP 5,060

159.71%

Eggs

$6.31 ISK 773

$2.26 COP 8,229

179.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.91 ISK 2,193

$4.33 COP 15.8K

313.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$23.63 ISK 2,893

$5.84 COP 21.2K

304.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.77 ISK 5,238

$8.83 COP 32.1K

384.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ISK 396

$2.24 COP 8,159

44.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 ISK 296

$1.08 COP 3,911

124.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 ISK 381

$1.53 COP 5,563

103.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 ISK 596

$1.37 COP 4,987

255.47%

Potato (1kg)

$3.64 ISK 446

$1.13 COP 4,109

222.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 ISK 293

$1.12 COP 4,067

113.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.07 ISK 377

$0.85 COP 3,080

261.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 ISK 236

$0.91 COP 3,305

112.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.41 ISK 1,643

$2.33 COP 8,477

475.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.12 ISK 2,832

$11.13 COP 40.5K

107.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.64 ISK 445

$1.19 COP 4,342

205.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ISK 409

$2.37 COP 8,617

40.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.51 ISK 798

$1.44 COP 5,223

352.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.52 ISK 308

$1.91 COP 6,952

31.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$86.3 ISK 10.6K

$8.02 COP 29.2K

976.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.57 ISK 314

$0.94 COP 3,410

173.40%

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

$48.2K ISK 5.9M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

168.86%

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

$52.7K ISK 6.5M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

96.87%

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

$89.3 ISK 10.9K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

6.37%

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

$27.34 ISK 3,348

$9.60 COP 34.9K

184.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.0 ISK 10.7K

$24.16 COP 87.9K

259.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$17.63 ISK 2,159

$3.92 COP 14.2K

349.74%

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

$318 ISK 39.0K

$306 COP 1.1M

3.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K ISK 3.7M

$5,919 COP 21.5M

417.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$141 ISK 17.3K

$57.9 COP 210.6K

143.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.6 ISK 7,422

$31.82 COP 115.7K

90.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$182 ISK 22.3K

$99.9 COP 363.3K

82.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$262 ISK 32.1K

$107 COP 389.7K

144.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 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: $593 vs $190 – 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: $1,637 in Hella, $1,034 in Medellin – roughly 58% apart. Hella costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,456 per month in Hella and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,637 in Hella and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $318 per month in Hella and $306 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 $1,034, than in Hella at $1,637. 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 $1,034 in Medellin to $1,637 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.