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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,694 per month in Hella vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,923 per month in Hella vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,152 per month in Hella vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Hella costs about 1% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hella and Medellin sit above the global median – Hella by 24%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.93 ISK 3,645

$8.02 COP 25.0K

273.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$137 ISK 16.6K

$47.87 COP 149.4K

185.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$26.99 ISK 3,287

$9.89 COP 30.8K

172.90%

Cappuccino

$6.87 ISK 837

$3.13 COP 9,767

119.49%

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

$3.25 ISK 396

$1.91 COP 5,954

70.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ISK 392

$1.51 COP 4,712

112.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.88 ISK 1,690

$3.12 COP 9,747

344.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.29 ISK 1,497

$5.75 COP 17.9K

113.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 ISK 259

$1.44 COP 4,509

47.22%

White Bread (500g)

$4.32 ISK 526

$2.49 COP 7,759

73.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.69 ISK 450

$1.77 COP 5,535

108.47%

Eggs

$7.01 ISK 854

$2.96 COP 9,235

136.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.12 ISK 2,573

$10.07 COP 31.4K

109.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.72 ISK 3,011

$10.12 COP 31.6K

144.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.94 ISK 5,230

$14.30 COP 44.6K

200.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 ISK 408

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-19.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 ISK 356

$1.61 COP 5,019

81.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.16 ISK 385

$2.25 COP 7,007

40.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.25 ISK 762

$2.25 COP 7,028

177.78%

Potato (1kg)

$4.13 ISK 504

$2.04 COP 6,375

102.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 ISK 202

$1.54 COP 4,790

7.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.81 ISK 465

$1.17 COP 3,651

225.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ISK 214

$1.31 COP 4,077

34.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.87 ISK 1,690

$3.90 COP 12.2K

255.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.10 ISK 2,936

$14.01 COP 43.7K

72.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.79 ISK 462

$1.74 COP 5,439

117.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ISK 410

$2.87 COP 8,956

17.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 ISK 827

$1.31 COP 4,084

418.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.83 ISK 345

$2.19 COP 6,825

29.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$74.9 ISK 9,118

$8.71 COP 27.2K

759.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 ISK 246

$1.37 COP 4,260

47.45%

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

$50.8K ISK 6.2M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

82.47%

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

$54.3K ISK 6.6M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

51.86%

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

$88.2 ISK 10.7K

$177 COP 553.2K

-50.26%

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

$32.75 ISK 3,989

$13.88 COP 43.3K

135.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.8 ISK 10.2K

$29.72 COP 92.8K

181.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$19.68 ISK 2,396

$6.65 COP 20.7K

195.94%

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

$1,190 ISK 144.9K

$813 COP 2.5M

46.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K ISK 3.7M

$9,187 COP 28.7M

233.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$161 ISK 19.6K

$89.5 COP 279.3K

80.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.1 ISK 8,170

$59.0 COP 184.0K

13.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$182 ISK 22.1K

$138 COP 431.2K

31.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$252 ISK 30.6K

$102 COP 318.7K

146.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.88

10.94

-18.83%

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

Last update for Hella: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $137 in Hella versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $627 vs $305 – 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: $1,694 in Hella, $1,681 in Medellin – roughly 1% apart. Hella costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,541 per month in Hella and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,694 in Hella and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,190 per month in Hella and $813 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Hella at $1,694. 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 $1,681 in Medellin to $1,694 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.