Cost of Living Comparison Between Hempstead, NY and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Hempstead, NY and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,475 in Hempstead, NY versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,303 in Hempstead, NY versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,132 in Hempstead, NY versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Hempstead, NY costs roughly 12% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hempstead, NY 8% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.91 $19.91

$8.02 COP 25.0K

148.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$47.87 COP 149.4K

58.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.64 $12.64

$9.89 COP 30.8K

27.81%

Cappuccino

$5.13 $5.13

$3.13 COP 9,767

63.90%

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

$3.02 $3.02

$1.91 COP 5,954

58.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.51 COP 4,712

50.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$3.12 COP 9,747

89.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.96 $7.96

$5.75 COP 17.9K

38.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.44 COP 4,509

-11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 $1.60

$2.49 COP 7,759

-35.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.77 COP 5,535

32.20%

Eggs

$3.65 $3.65

$2.96 COP 9,235

23.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 $9.93

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-1.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.98 $11.98

$10.12 COP 31.6K

18.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.32 $12.32

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-13.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 $3.00

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-27.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.61 COP 5,019

1.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.25 COP 7,007

-21.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.21 $5.21

$2.25 COP 7,028

131.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.04 COP 6,375

33.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.54 COP 4,790

72.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.17 COP 3,651

107.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.31 COP 4,077

88.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.80 $12.80

$3.90 COP 12.2K

228.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.97 $14.97

$14.01 COP 43.7K

6.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.74 COP 5,439

37.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 $4.25

$2.87 COP 8,956

48.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 $2.84

$1.22 COP 3,792

132.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$131 $131

$80.5 COP 251.1K

62.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.31 COP 4,084

103.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 $0.63

$2.19 COP 6,825

-71.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.38 $24.38

$8.71 COP 27.2K

179.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.37 COP 4,260

-21.17%

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

$36.5K $36.5K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

31.15%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-29.35%

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

$220 $220

$177 COP 553.2K

23.90%

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

$63.0 $63.0

$13.88 COP 43.3K

354.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.7 $67.7

$29.72 COP 92.8K

127.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$111 $111

$44.88 COP 140.1K

147.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$15.59 $15.59

$6.65 COP 20.7K

134.44%

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

$2,256 $2,256

$813 COP 2.5M

177.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.1K $42.1K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

358.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.79 $48.79

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-45.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.09 $47.09

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-20.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$138 COP 431.2K

-26.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$102 COP 318.7K

36.28%

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 %)

6.16

10.94

-43.69%

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

Last update for Hempstead, NY: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $76.0 in Hempstead, NY vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $341 vs $305 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

Hempstead, NY vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hempstead, NY and Medellin differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,475 vs $1,681 including rent). Hempstead, NY is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,212 in Hempstead, NY and $2,521 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 12% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Hempstead, NY – a meal for two runs $76.0 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,475 in Hempstead, NY versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hempstead, NY but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Hempstead, NY 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, Hempstead, NY 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 Hempstead, NY gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.