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: $2,239 in Hickory, NC versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,219 in Hickory, NC versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,199 in Hickory, NC versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Hickory, NC is roughly 120% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hickory, NC is 67% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$5.95 COP 20.8K

229.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 $70.5

$33.33 COP 116.3K

111.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 $10.85

$7.23 COP 25.2K

50.07%

Cappuccino

$5.56 $5.56

$1.63 COP 5,687

241.10%

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

$2.81 $2.81

$1.09 COP 3,821

157.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.73 COP 2,548

221.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.16 $6.16

$1.74 COP 6,065

254.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.89 $6.89

$3.23 COP 11.3K

113.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.05 COP 3,662

-12.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 $3.59

$1.29 COP 4,515

178.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$1.32 COP 4,617

249.24%

Eggs

$2.57 $2.57

$2.27 COP 7,927

13.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.51 $12.51

$4.35 COP 15.2K

187.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.08 $9.08

$5.88 COP 20.5K

54.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.49 $19.49

$8.61 COP 30.0K

126.36%

Apples (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$2.25 COP 7,844

157.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.07 COP 3,733

22.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.38 $7.38

$1.52 COP 5,322

385.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$1.42 COP 4,964

297.18%

Potato (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$1.17 COP 4,084

300.85%

Onion (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$1.17 COP 4,077

213.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 $1.87

$0.89 COP 3,096

110.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.90 COP 3,146

140.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.80 $6.80

$2.25 COP 7,837

202.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 $15.27

$11.04 COP 38.5K

38.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.14 COP 3,977

42.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.38 COP 8,301

27.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 $1.23

$0.84 COP 2,916

46.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 $45.79

$41.95 COP 146.4K

9.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 $3.48

$1.41 COP 4,912

146.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.90 COP 6,634

-16.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.67 $17.67

$7.75 COP 27.0K

128.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 $0.74

$1.01 COP 3,509

-26.73%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

103.85%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-6.49%

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

$160 $160

$83.7 COP 292.1K

90.88%

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

$54.6 $54.6

$9.45 COP 33.0K

477.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.6 $62.6

$24.11 COP 84.1K

159.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.06 $35.06

$25.31 COP 88.3K

38.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 $13.21

$4.10 COP 14.3K

222.20%

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

$1,705 $1,705

$312 COP 1.1M

446.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K $10.1K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

68.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.27 $46.27

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-20.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.26 $46.26

$32.56 COP 113.6K

42.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 $97.7

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-1.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$109 COP 378.8K

29.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 $1,212

$482 COP 1.7M

151.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 $990

$379 COP 1.3M

160.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,929 $1,929

$837 COP 2.9M

130.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 $1,276

$723 COP 2.5M

76.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,255 $2,255

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-20.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,140 $2,140

$1,223 COP 4.3M

74.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,549 $4,549

$541 COP 1.9M

740.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

13.43

-63.89%

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

Last update for Hickory, NC: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,212 in Hickory, NC and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hickory, NC pays 741% 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: $70.0 in Hickory, NC vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $409 vs $190 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 120% in total monthly costs ($2,239 vs $1,017 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Hickory, NC pays 741% more on average, 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: $1,212 in Hickory, NC versus $482 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 $33.00 versus $70.0 in Hickory, NC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,239 per month in Hickory, NC versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 120% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $2,239 in Hickory, NC, a $1,500 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 120% less than in Hickory, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.