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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Hella vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,788 per month in Hella vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,958 per month in Hella vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Hella costs about 59% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Hella sits 20% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.32 ISK 3,401

$5.95 COP 20.8K

359.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 ISK 18.0K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

332.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$22.68 ISK 2,823

$7.23 COP 25.2K

213.69%

Cappuccino

$6.15 ISK 765

$1.63 COP 5,687

277.30%

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

$3.35 ISK 417

$1.09 COP 3,821

207.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 ISK 316

$0.73 COP 2,548

247.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.72 ISK 1,583

$1.74 COP 6,065

631.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.15 ISK 1,388

$3.23 COP 11.3K

245.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ISK 241

$1.05 COP 3,662

83.81%

White Bread (500g)

$4.19 ISK 522

$1.29 COP 4,515

224.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.67 ISK 457

$1.32 COP 4,617

178.03%

Eggs

$6.31 ISK 786

$2.27 COP 7,927

177.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.19 ISK 2,265

$4.35 COP 15.2K

318.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.53 ISK 3,053

$5.88 COP 20.5K

317.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.71 ISK 5,193

$8.61 COP 30.0K

384.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ISK 418

$2.25 COP 7,844

49.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ISK 312

$1.07 COP 3,733

134.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 ISK 378

$1.52 COP 5,322

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 ISK 611

$1.42 COP 4,964

245.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ISK 459

$1.17 COP 4,084

215.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 ISK 301

$1.17 COP 4,077

106.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.19 ISK 397

$0.89 COP 3,096

258.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 ISK 247

$0.90 COP 3,146

121.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.60 ISK 1,693

$2.25 COP 7,837

504.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.47 ISK 2,922

$11.04 COP 38.5K

112.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.72 ISK 463

$1.14 COP 3,977

226.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ISK 415

$2.38 COP 8,301

40.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 ISK 777

$1.41 COP 4,912

342.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 ISK 331

$1.90 COP 6,634

40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.8 ISK 10.7K

$7.75 COP 27.0K

1007.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.43 ISK 302

$1.01 COP 3,509

140.59%

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

$47.5K ISK 5.9M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

170.20%

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

$51.3K ISK 6.4M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

93.69%

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

$89.4 ISK 11.1K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

6.78%

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

$27.68 ISK 3,446

$9.45 COP 33.0K

192.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.5 ISK 10.6K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

254.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$17.43 ISK 2,170

$4.10 COP 14.3K

325.12%

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

$316 ISK 39.4K

$312 COP 1.1M

1.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.9K ISK 3.7M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

399.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$141 ISK 17.5K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

142.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.1 ISK 7,609

$32.56 COP 113.6K

87.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$186 ISK 23.1K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

86.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$271 ISK 33.8K

$109 COP 378.8K

149.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $144 in Hella versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $597 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: $1,619 in Hella, $1,017 in Medellin – roughly 59% apart. Hella costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,428 per month in Hella and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,619 in Hella and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Hella and $312 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 $1,017, than in Hella at $1,619. 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 $1,017 in Medellin to $1,619 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.