Cost of Living Comparison Between Horta and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Horta and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,317 per month in Horta vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,266 per month in Horta vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,215 per month in Horta vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Horta is about 20% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Horta sits 4% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.03 €12.10

$8.04 COP 24.8K

74.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.72 €42.86

$48.29 COP 148.6K

2.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.75 €8.40

$9.42 COP 29.0K

3.50%

Cappuccino

$2.04 €1.76

$2.94 COP 9,040

-30.61%

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

$2.08 €1.79

$1.86 COP 5,735

11.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 €1.21

$1.46 COP 4,479

-3.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 €2.52

$3.21 COP 9,882

-9.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 €3.06

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-37.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.44 COP 4,428

-20.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 €1.30

$2.40 COP 7,389

-37.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 €1.41

$1.70 COP 5,228

-4.12%

Eggs

$3.40 €2.93

$2.89 COP 8,896

17.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.43 €9.85

$10.06 COP 30.9K

13.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.84 €6.76

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-21.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.94 €12.88

$14.20 COP 43.7K

5.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 €2.00

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-41.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 €1.23

$1.58 COP 4,878

-10.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$2.15 COP 6,624

-9.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.65 €2.28

$2.30 COP 7,078

15.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$2.00 COP 6,169

-10.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$1.51 COP 4,646

33.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 €1.42

$1.20 COP 3,701

37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 €0.75

$1.28 COP 3,946

-32.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.43 €5.55

$3.84 COP 11.8K

67.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.89 €4.21

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-65.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.13

$1.71 COP 5,256

-23.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 €1.86

$2.74 COP 8,440

-21.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.97

$1.25 COP 3,834

82.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.14 €36.33

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-45.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 €3.43

$1.31 COP 4,016

203.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 €0.96

$2.17 COP 6,680

-48.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.63 €15.19

$8.29 COP 25.5K

112.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 €1.88

$1.36 COP 4,172

60.29%

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

$35.2K €30.3K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

28.07%

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

$38.9K €33.6K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

6.53%

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

$130 €112

$169 COP 519.2K

-23.01%

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

$20.85 €17.97

$13.57 COP 41.8K

53.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.5 €53.0

$28.32 COP 87.2K

117.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.37 €37.39

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-5.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$8.53 €7.35

$6.65 COP 20.5K

28.27%

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

$504 €435

$803 COP 2.5M

-37.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K €9,603

$9,190 COP 28.3M

21.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.2 €69.1

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-8.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.22 €32.94

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-35.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 €73.9

$139 COP 427.5K

-38.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 €91.5

$102 COP 314.0K

4.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 €426

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-53.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$412 €355

$653 COP 2.0M

-36.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 €631

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-61.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 €1,063

$1,048 COP 3.2M

17.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,159 €2,723

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-23.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,397 €2,067

$1,697 COP 5.2M

41.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$935 €806

$655 COP 2.0M

42.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

10.94

-66.73%

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

Last update for Horta: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $494 in Horta versus $1,071 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 run about 43% higher in Horta, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Horta versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $253 in Horta vs $300 in Medellin – so Horta wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Horta vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,317 in Horta, $1,641 in Medellin – roughly 25% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,976 per month in Horta and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Horta, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 85% less in Horta. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $504 per month in Horta and $803 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Horta, where all-in costs run around $1,317, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Horta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin 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 $1,317 in Horta to $1,641 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Horta. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.