Cost of Living Comparison Between Hickory, NC and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Hickory, NC and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,134 in Hickory, NC versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,968 in Hickory, NC versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,802 in Hickory, NC versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Hickory, NC is roughly 27% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hickory, NC 56% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.76 $14.76

$8.02 COP 25.0K

84.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.4 $61.4

$47.87 COP 149.4K

28.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.05 $11.05

$9.89 COP 30.8K

11.73%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$3.13 COP 9,767

78.59%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$1.91 COP 5,954

60.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.51 COP 4,712

36.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.43 $5.43

$3.12 COP 9,747

74.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.34 $7.34

$5.75 COP 17.9K

27.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.44 COP 4,509

-37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.61 $3.61

$2.49 COP 7,759

44.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.63 $4.63

$1.77 COP 5,535

161.58%

Eggs

$3.42 $3.42

$2.96 COP 9,235

15.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.44 $10.44

$10.07 COP 31.4K

3.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$10.12 COP 31.6K

28.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.69 $19.69

$14.30 COP 44.6K

37.69%

Apples (1kg)

$6.43 $6.43

$4.14 COP 12.9K

55.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.61 COP 5,019

-7.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.25 COP 7,007

7.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.25 COP 7,028

-24.00%

Potato (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$2.04 COP 6,375

141.67%

Onion (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$1.54 COP 4,790

179.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.65 $2.65

$1.17 COP 3,651

126.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.31 COP 4,077

50.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.64 $8.64

$3.90 COP 12.2K

121.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.75 $14.75

$14.01 COP 43.7K

5.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.74 COP 5,439

-2.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.87 COP 8,956

-37.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.22 COP 3,792

0.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.15 $45.15

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-43.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 $3.56

$1.31 COP 4,084

171.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 $1.44

$2.19 COP 6,825

-34.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.01 $18.01

$8.71 COP 27.2K

106.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.37 COP 4,260

-43.80%

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

$34.7K $34.7K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

24.81%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-29.95%

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

$142 $142

$177 COP 553.2K

-19.64%

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

$61.0 $61.0

$13.88 COP 43.3K

339.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.2 $54.2

$29.72 COP 92.8K

82.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.07 $27.07

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-39.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$15.04 $15.04

$6.65 COP 20.7K

126.17%

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

$350 $350

$813 COP 2.5M

-56.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,862 $9,862

$9,187 COP 28.7M

7.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.07 $40.07

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-55.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.73 $19.73

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-66.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.45 $39.45

$138 COP 431.2K

-71.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.26 $49.26

$102 COP 318.7K

-51.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 $1,135

$1,062 COP 3.3M

6.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$973 $973

$663 COP 2.1M

46.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,606 $1,606

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-14.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 $1,304

$1,027 COP 3.2M

26.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,192 $2,192

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-47.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,125 $2,125

$1,675 COP 5.2M

26.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,518 $4,518

$678 COP 2.1M

566.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.23

10.94

-52.19%

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

Last update for Hickory, NC: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,135 in Hickory, NC and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hickory, NC pays 567% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $61.0 in Hickory, NC vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $391 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

Hickory, NC vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hickory, NC and Medellin differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($2,134 vs $1,681 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 567% higher in Hickory, NC, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,135 in Hickory, NC versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $61.0 in Hickory, NC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,134 per month in Hickory, NC versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,134 in Hickory, NC, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Hickory, NC. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin 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.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Hickory, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.