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: $2,239 in Humboldt versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,168 in Humboldt versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,097 in Humboldt versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Humboldt is roughly 117% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Humboldt is 67% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.90 CA$14.93

$5.92 COP 21.4K

84.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.81 CA$44.96

$32.75 COP 118.2K

0.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.78 CA$13.40

$7.20 COP 26.0K

35.83%

Cappuccino

$3.66 CA$5.02

$1.70 COP 6,140

115.29%

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

$2.18 CA$2.99

$1.10 COP 3,966

98.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 CA$1.26

$0.72 COP 2,605

27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$1.67 COP 6,022

156.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 CA$5.98

$3.10 COP 11.2K

40.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 CA$2.25

$1.06 COP 3,809

54.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 CA$2.53

$1.25 COP 4,497

48.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 CA$4.32

$1.39 COP 5,022

126.62%

Eggs

$1.82 CA$2.49

$2.26 COP 8,168

-19.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.46 CA$15.71

$4.33 COP 15.6K

164.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.70 CA$16.03

$5.84 COP 21.1K

100.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.80 CA$24.38

$8.83 COP 31.9K

101.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.65 CA$5.01

$2.24 COP 8,099

62.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 CA$2.18

$1.08 COP 3,882

47.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.81

$1.53 COP 5,522

177.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.52 CA$4.83

$1.37 COP 4,950

156.93%

Potato (1kg)

$3.18 CA$4.35

$1.13 COP 4,078

181.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 CA$3.85

$1.12 COP 4,036

150.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CA$3.44

$0.85 COP 3,057

195.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 CA$3.24

$0.91 COP 3,281

159.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.15

$2.33 COP 8,414

531.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.58 CA$18.61

$11.13 COP 40.2K

22.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.80 CA$5.21

$1.19 COP 4,309

219.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.17

$2.37 COP 8,553

28.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.34

$0.79 COP 2,838

208.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.9 CA$87.5

$41.13 COP 148.5K

55.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 CA$4.44

$1.44 COP 5,184

125.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 CA$0.85

$1.91 COP 6,901

-67.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.53 CA$40.46

$8.02 COP 28.9K

268.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.48

$0.94 COP 3,385

14.89%

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

$24.8K CA$34.0K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

38.40%

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

$19.7K CA$27.0K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-26.52%

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

$127 CA$175

$84.0 COP 303.1K

51.70%

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

$51.3 CA$70.2

$9.60 COP 34.7K

434.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 CA$69.5

$24.16 COP 87.2K

109.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.73 CA$58.5

$25.88 COP 93.4K

65.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$9.25 CA$12.67

$3.92 COP 14.1K

135.97%

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

$503 CA$689

$306 COP 1.1M

64.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K CA$14.9K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

83.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 CA$83.0

$57.9 COP 209.1K

4.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.86 CA$45.02

$31.82 COP 114.9K

3.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 CA$118

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-13.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$151

$107 COP 386.8K

2.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 CA$1,779

$487 COP 1.8M

166.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,177 CA$1,613

$368 COP 1.3M

219.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,021 CA$2,769

$826 COP 3.0M

144.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,798 CA$2,464

$716 COP 2.6M

151.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,278 CA$5,860

$2,925 COP 10.6M

46.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,949 CA$5,410

$1,407 COP 5.1M

180.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.47

13.43

-51.82%

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

Last update for Humboldt: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,299 in Humboldt and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Humboldt vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $369 vs $190, 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, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 117% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,358 in Humboldt and $1,550 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: $1,299 in Humboldt versus $487 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 55% less than in Humboldt. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $503 in Humboldt versus $306 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $2,239 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.

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 117% less than in Humboldt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.