Cost of Living Comparison Between Humboldt and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Humboldt and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,200 in Humboldt versus $1,687 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,138 in Humboldt versus $2,535 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,075 in Humboldt versus $3,383 in Medellin.

Living in Humboldt is roughly 30% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Humboldt 61% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 CA$14.88

$7.89 COP 24.2K

36.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.15 CA$44.30

$44.53 COP 136.5K

-27.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.73 CA$14.78

$9.29 COP 28.5K

15.50%

Cappuccino

$3.62 CA$4.99

$2.90 COP 8,874

24.83%

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

$2.20 CA$3.03

$1.81 COP 5,541

21.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 CA$1.31

$1.55 COP 4,741

-38.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.34 CA$5.98

$3.25 COP 9,962

33.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 CA$5.78

$5.88 COP 18.0K

-28.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 CA$2.16

$1.38 COP 4,230

13.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 CA$2.52

$2.45 COP 7,517

-25.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.12

$1.51 COP 4,617

98.01%

Eggs

$1.83 CA$2.52

$2.78 COP 8,516

-34.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.25

$9.05 COP 27.7K

54.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.88 CA$16.37

$10.65 COP 32.6K

11.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.41 CA$22.61

$14.63 COP 44.8K

12.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.37 CA$6.01

$3.97 COP 12.2K

10.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.03

$1.38 COP 4,219

6.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.86 CA$5.31

$2.30 COP 7,056

67.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.71 CA$5.11

$2.02 COP 6,185

83.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 CA$3.13

$2.09 COP 6,390

8.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 CA$3.20

$1.63 COP 4,996

42.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CA$3.57

$1.08 COP 3,313

139.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 CA$2.76

$1.25 COP 3,843

60.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.56 CA$20.06

$4.03 COP 12.4K

261.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.23 CA$18.22

$13.47 COP 41.3K

-1.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.61 CA$4.97

$1.60 COP 4,904

125.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 CA$4.63

$3.00 COP 9,189

12.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 CA$3.27

$1.18 COP 3,611

101.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.6 CA$90.4

$79.9 COP 244.9K

-17.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 CA$4.98

$1.61 COP 4,920

124.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 CA$1.04

$2.13 COP 6,533

-64.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.95 CA$30.24

$8.52 COP 26.1K

157.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.54

$1.35 COP 4,142

-17.04%

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

$28.4K CA$39.2K

$28.3K COP 86.8M

0.42%

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

$20.6K CA$28.4K

$35.7K COP 109.4M

-42.23%

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

$122 CA$169

$151 COP 463.8K

-19.12%

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

$51.7 CA$71.3

$13.10 COP 40.1K

294.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 CA$79.3

$32.30 COP 99.0K

78.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.38 CA$59.8

$46.33 COP 141.9K

-6.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.80 CA$27.28

$17.26 COP 52.9K

14.72%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 CA$13.12

$6.43 COP 19.7K

48.06%

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

$473 CA$652

$835 COP 2.6M

-43.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K CA$14.7K

$8,887 COP 27.2M

19.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 CA$71.2

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-42.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.33 CA$52.8

$55.3 COP 169.5K

-30.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 CA$129

$137 COP 418.5K

-31.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$149

$109 COP 335.1K

-1.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,477 CA$2,035

$952 COP 2.9M

55.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,153 CA$1,588

$668 COP 2.0M

72.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,845 CA$2,542

$2,020 COP 6.2M

-8.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,961 CA$2,701

$1,148 COP 3.5M

70.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,616 CA$6,360

$3,696 COP 11.3M

24.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,893 CA$5,364

$1,586 COP 4.9M

145.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.58

10.43

-56.09%

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

Last update for Humboldt: August 16, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,477 in Humboldt and $952 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Humboldt vs $45.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $365 vs $297, 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

Humboldt vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,301 in Humboldt and $2,530 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,477 in Humboldt versus $952 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 22% less than in Humboldt. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $473 in Humboldt versus $835 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,687 in Medellin versus $2,200 in Humboldt, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Humboldt. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Humboldt, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Humboldt 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 30% less than in Humboldt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.