Cost of Living Comparison Between Hulhumale and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Hulhumale and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,516 in Hulhumale versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,711 in Hulhumale versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,906 in Hulhumale versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Hulhumale is roughly 51% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hulhumale is 14% above, Medellin is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 MVR 83.0

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-8.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.95 MVR 446

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-12.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.99 MVR 154

$7.43 COP 23.4K

34.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.50 MVR 69.4

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 MVR 58.7

Cappuccino

$2.94 MVR 45.37

$1.65 COP 5,207

78.18%

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

$1.31 MVR 20.26

$1.10 COP 3,468

19.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 MVR 3.82

$0.78 COP 2,458

-67.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MVR 27.83

$1.10 COP 3,474

64.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 MVR 24.87

$1.26 COP 3,962

27.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.33 MVR 5.09

$1.38 COP 4,349

-76.09%

Eggs

$1.54 MVR 23.76

$2.18 COP 6,858

-29.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.31 MVR 128

$4.49 COP 14.1K

85.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.02 MVR 92.9

$5.79 COP 18.2K

3.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.74 MVR 135

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-2.56%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 MVR 63.8

$2.32 COP 7,308

78.45%

Banana (1kg)

$3.83 MVR 59.0

$1.06 COP 3,352

261.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.26 MVR 65.7

$1.52 COP 4,774

180.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.23 MVR 49.83

$1.36 COP 4,270

137.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 MVR 23.38

$1.13 COP 3,552

34.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 MVR 18.78

$1.17 COP 3,689

4.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.07 MVR 47.27

$0.90 COP 2,838

241.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MVR 8.30

$0.90 COP 2,823

-40.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.45 MVR 192

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 MVR 40.83

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.86 MVR 152

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.87 MVR 121

$2.23 COP 7,034

252.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 MVR 30.83

$1.42 COP 4,459

40.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 MVR 29.19

$1.95 COP 6,141

-3.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.94 MVR 153

$7.89 COP 24.8K

25.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 MVR 14.65

$0.99 COP 3,118

-4.04%

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

$32.5K MVR 501.9K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

84.92%

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

$33.8K MVR 521.0K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

26.08%

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

$106 MVR 1,632

$83.0 COP 261.4K

27.53%

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

$42.09 MVR 649

$9.70 COP 30.5K

333.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.60 MVR 641

$23.52 COP 74.1K

76.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 MVR 994

$25.26 COP 79.5K

155.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$9.83 MVR 152

$3.95 COP 12.4K

148.86%

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

$162 MVR 2,504

$316 COP 994.2K

-48.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,525 MVR 54.3K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-41.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.06 MVR 679

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-26.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.9 MVR 878

$31.82 COP 100.2K

78.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 MVR 1,382

$102 COP 320.1K

-11.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.9 MVR 846

$107 COP 338.3K

-48.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,319 MVR 20.3K

$475 COP 1.5M

177.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$769 MVR 11.9K

$374 COP 1.2M

105.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,902 MVR 44.7K

$849 COP 2.7M

241.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,305 MVR 35.5K

$719 COP 2.3M

220.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,446 MVR 84.0K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

66.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$498 MVR 7,685

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-65.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$718 MVR 11.1K

$624 COP 2.0M

15.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.4

13.43

-7.67%

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

Last update for Hulhumale: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,319 in Hulhumale and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hulhumale pays 15% 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: $29.00 in Hulhumale vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $225 vs $193, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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

Hulhumale vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 51% lower than in Hulhumale. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 15% higher in Hulhumale, 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: $1,319 in Hulhumale versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $162 in Hulhumale versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $29.00 in Hulhumale. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,516 in Hulhumale, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Hulhumale. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,003 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Hulhumale 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Hulhumale. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.