Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Humboldt and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,589 a month against $2,211 in Humboldt, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Humboldt
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,211
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,589
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Humboldt 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 Humboldt and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,211 in Humboldt versus $1,589 in Medellin.

  • Humboldt $2,211
  • Medellin $1,589

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,061 in Humboldt versus $2,364 in Medellin.

  • Humboldt $3,061
  • Medellin $2,364

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,911 in Humboldt versus $3,139 in Medellin.

  • Humboldt $3,911
  • Medellin $3,139

Living in Humboldt is roughly 39% more expensive than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Humboldt 65% above, Medellin 19% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Humboldt
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.65 CA$15.15
$8.01 COP 25.8K
32.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.25 CA$44.44
$46.55 COP 149.9K
-32.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.39 CA$14.78
$9.43 COP 30.4K
10.18%
Cappuccino
$3.50 CA$4.98
$2.91 COP 9,374
20.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 CA$3.09
$1.75 COP 5,643
24.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 CA$1.25
$1.32 COP 4,263
-33.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.11 CA$5.85
$3.13 COP 10.1K
31.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.13 CA$5.88
$5.55 COP 17.9K
-25.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Humboldt
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.55 CA$2.20
$1.41 COP 4,542
9.93%
White Bread (500g)
$1.75 CA$2.49
$2.44 COP 7,858
-28.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.06 CA$4.35
$1.63 COP 5,245
87.73%
Eggs
$1.77 CA$2.52
$2.82 COP 9,084
-37.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.78 CA$19.60
$9.69 COP 31.2K
42.21%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.33 CA$16.12
$9.32 COP 30.0K
21.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.54 CA$23.53
$13.46 COP 43.3K
22.88%
Apples (1kg)
$4.21 CA$5.98
$4.00 COP 12.9K
5.25%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 CA$2.07
$1.48 COP 4,768
-2.03%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.75 CA$5.33
$2.12 COP 6,839
76.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.60 CA$5.12
$2.25 COP 7,253
60.00%
Potato (1kg)
$2.21 CA$3.14
$1.91 COP 6,155
15.71%
Onion (1kg)
$2.30 CA$3.27
$1.62 COP 5,214
41.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.60 CA$3.70
$1.15 COP 3,696
126.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.91 CA$2.72
$1.26 COP 4,063
51.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.81 CA$21.07
$3.82 COP 12.3K
287.70%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.99 CA$18.48
$13.11 COP 42.2K
-0.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.45 CA$4.91
$1.60 COP 5,136
115.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.44 CA$4.89
$2.26 COP 7,263
52.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Humboldt
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.26 CA$3.22
$1.17 COP 3,770
93.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$61.3 CA$87.3
$75.0 COP 241.5K
-18.24%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.65 CA$5.19
$1.27 COP 4,098
187.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.77 CA$1.09
$2.05 COP 6,600
-62.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.40 CA$30.45
$8.20 COP 26.4K
160.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 CA$1.50
$1.27 COP 4,088
-17.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K CA$39.6K
$26.8K COP 86.2M
3.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.1K CA$28.5K
$34.4K COP 110.8M
-41.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Humboldt
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$119 CA$169
$162 COP 522.3K
-26.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$51.8 CA$73.7
$13.12 COP 42.3K
294.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.7 CA$79.2
$28.09 COP 90.5K
98.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Humboldt
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.86 CA$58.1
$44.33 COP 142.7K
-7.83%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.78 CA$25.29
$16.33 COP 52.6K
8.88%
Cinema Ticket
$9.72 CA$13.83
$6.09 COP 19.6K
59.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Humboldt
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$469 CA$667
$764 COP 2.5M
-38.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.7K CA$15.3K
$8,904 COP 28.7M
20.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Humboldt
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.1 CA$71.3
$85.0 COP 273.6K
-41.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.29 CA$53.0
$57.5 COP 185.1K
-35.14%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 CA$134
$132 COP 424.2K
-28.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 CA$153
$95.8 COP 308.3K
12.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Humboldt
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,255 CA$1,785
$1,028 COP 3.3M
22.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,107 CA$1,574
$604 COP 1.9M
83.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,963 CA$2,792
$1,802 COP 5.8M
8.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,730 CA$2,461
$993 COP 3.2M
74.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,275 CA$6,081
$3,921 COP 12.6M
9.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,587 CA$5,103
$1,639 COP 5.3M
118.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Humboldt
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$626 COP 2.0M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.58
10.94
-58.14%

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

Last update for Humboldt: October 3, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Humboldt
$1.1K
Medellin
$604 45.4% $502
Groceries & Markets
Humboldt
$357
Medellin
$288 19.3% $69
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Humboldt
$226
Medellin
$203 10% $23
Eating Out
Humboldt
$199
Medellin
$166 16.6% $33
Clothing & Footwear
Humboldt
$130
Medellin
$166 27.8% $36
Getting Around
Humboldt
$78
Medellin
$91 17.1% $13
Sport & Entertainment
Humboldt
$60
Medellin
$57 6.3% $3.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,255 in Humboldt and $1,028 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Humboldt vs $47.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $357 vs $288, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Humboldt
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
23:37 11:37 PM
00:37 12:37 AM
1 h ahead of Humboldt
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,700
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.703 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.627 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3,220 COP (10,000 COP = 3.11 USD). 1 EUR = 3,611 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Humboldt Medellin 5,780 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Humboldt
  • 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
Humboldt vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Humboldt?
Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,317 in Humboldt and $2,384 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.
What is the rent difference between Humboldt and Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,255 in Humboldt versus $1,028 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
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.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $469 in Humboldt versus $764 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Humboldt or in Medellin?
At $1,589 in Medellin versus $2,211 in Humboldt, a $1,500 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.
Is Humboldt or Medellin more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Humboldt or Medellin?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Humboldt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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