Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hilton Head Island, SC and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $2,925 in Hilton Head Island, SC, rent and utilities included – about $15,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Hilton Head Island, SC, United States
Medellin, Colombia
Hilton Head Island, SC
🇺🇸 United States
$2,925
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hilton Head Island, SC and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Hilton Head Island, SC and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,925 per month in Hilton Head Island, SC vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Hilton Head Island, SC $2,925
  • Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $2,687 per month in Hilton Head Island, SC vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Hilton Head Island, SC $2,687
  • Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $2,449 per month in Hilton Head Island, SC vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Hilton Head Island, SC $2,449
  • Medellin $3,186

Hilton Head Island, SC costs about 78% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Hilton Head Island, SC and Medellin sit above the global median – Hilton Head Island, SC by 115%, Medellin by 20%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hilton Head Island, SC
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.92 $19.92
$8.09 COP 26.1K
146.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.1 $60.1
$47.05 COP 151.9K
27.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.29 $11.29
$9.50 COP 30.7K
18.84%
Cappuccino
$4.97 $4.97
$3.01 COP 9,734
65.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 $3.09
$1.80 COP 5,809
71.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 $2.03
$1.41 COP 4,560
43.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.93 $4.93
$3.18 COP 10.3K
55.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.07 $6.07
$5.75 COP 18.6K
5.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hilton Head Island, SC
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.71 $0.71
$1.51 COP 4,875
-52.98%
White Bread (500g)
$3.27 $3.27
$2.38 COP 7,677
37.39%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.69 $3.69
$1.77 COP 5,719
108.47%
Eggs
$2.91 $2.91
$2.89 COP 9,332
0.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.72 $8.72
$10.19 COP 32.9K
-14.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.56 $9.56
$9.87 COP 31.9K
-3.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.15 $13.15
$13.99 COP 45.2K
-6.00%
Apples (1kg)
$4.61 $4.61
$3.97 COP 12.8K
16.12%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.55 COP 5,011
-5.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.87 $3.87
$2.18 COP 7,047
77.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.57 $4.57
$2.18 COP 7,050
109.63%
Potato (1kg)
$2.89 $2.89
$1.96 COP 6,336
47.45%
Onion (1kg)
$3.08 $3.08
$1.59 COP 5,131
93.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.53 $2.53
$1.15 COP 3,698
120.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.43 $2.43
$1.24 COP 4,014
95.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.05 $9.05
$3.96 COP 12.8K
128.54%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.07 $15.07
$13.68 COP 44.2K
10.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 $2.13
$1.66 COP 5,359
28.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.14 $3.14
$2.26 COP 7,290
38.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Hilton Head Island, SC
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.17 COP 3,770
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$77.4 COP 249.8K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.54 $1.54
$1.27 COP 4,094
21.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.13 $1.13
$2.05 COP 6,611
-44.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.75 $13.75
$8.55 COP 27.6K
60.82%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.94 $0.94
$1.35 COP 4,348
-30.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.2K $31.2K
$34.1K COP 110.0M
-8.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9K $25.9K
$34.7K COP 111.9M
-25.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hilton Head Island, SC
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$216 $216
$170 COP 547.7K
27.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$55.1 $55.1
$13.55 COP 43.7K
306.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$67.8 $67.8
$28.07 COP 90.6K
141.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hilton Head Island, SC
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$20.28 $20.28
$43.70 COP 141.1K
-53.59%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.19 COP 55.5K
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.54 $14.54
$6.91 COP 22.3K
110.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hilton Head Island, SC
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,294 $1,294
$797 COP 2.6M
62.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K $11.9K
$9,112 COP 29.4M
30.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hilton Head Island, SC
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$34.48 $34.48
$84.7 COP 273.5K
-59.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.82 $34.82
$58.0 COP 187.1K
-39.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.3 $80.3
$135 COP 435.7K
-40.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.4 $71.4
$97.9 COP 316.0K
-27.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hilton Head Island, SC
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,151 $2,151
$1,208 COP 3.9M
78.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,769 $1,769
$642 COP 2.1M
175.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,272 $2,272
$2,028 COP 6.5M
12.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,012 COP 3.3M
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,619 $3,619
$4,170 COP 13.5M
-13.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,538 $3,538
$1,910 COP 6.2M
85.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hilton Head Island, SC
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,451 $3,451
$657 COP 2.1M
425.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.64
10.94
-39.31%

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

Last update for Hilton Head Island, SC: October 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Hilton Head Island, SC
$1.8K
Medellin
$642 63.7% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Hilton Head Island, SC
$351
Medellin
$297 15.4% $54
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hilton Head Island, SC
$339
Medellin
$211 37.7% $128
Eating Out
Hilton Head Island, SC
$310
Medellin
$170 45.3% $141
Clothing & Footwear
Hilton Head Island, SC
$99
Medellin
$169 69.9% $70
Sport & Entertainment
Hilton Head Island, SC
$49
Medellin
$58 16.5% $8.2
Getting Around
Hilton Head Island, SC
$7.2 *
Medellin
$94 1205% $86

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,151 in Hilton Head Island, SC versus $1,208 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Hilton Head Island, SC are about 5.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60 in Hilton Head Island, SC versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $297 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Hilton Head Island, SC
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
14:11 2:11 PM
14:11 2:11 PM
Same time as Hilton Head Island, SC
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
40,512
2,486,723
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,603 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Hilton Head Island, SC Medellin 2,930 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Hilton Head Island, SC
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Hilton Head Island, SC vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Hilton Head Island, SC or Medellin?
Hilton Head Island, SC costs about 78% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Hilton Head Island, SC and in Medellin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,387 per month in Hilton Head Island, SC and $2,459 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Hilton Head Island, SC or Medellin?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,208 there versus $2,151 in Hilton Head Island, SC.
How much does it cost to live in Hilton Head Island, SC compared to Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,925 in Hilton Head Island, SC and $1,639 in Medellin. That makes Medellin about 44% cheaper.
How do childcare costs compare in Hilton Head Island, SC and in Medellin?
Kindergarten costs $1,294 per month in Hilton Head Island, SC and $797 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Hilton Head Island, SC or in Medellin?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,639, than in Hilton Head Island, SC at $2,925. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hilton Head Island, SC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Hilton Head Island, SC or to Medellin?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hilton Head Island, SC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Hilton Head Island, SC vs other spots: cost of living compared

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