Cost of Living Comparison Between Huntington Beach, CA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Huntington Beach, CA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,564 in Huntington Beach, CA versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,966 in Huntington Beach, CA versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,368 in Huntington Beach, CA versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Huntington Beach, CA is roughly 252% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Huntington Beach, CA is 166% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.37 $20.37

$5.99 COP 21.5K

240.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.2 $84.2

$32.86 COP 118.1K

156.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$7.09 COP 25.5K

67.28%

Cappuccino

$5.12 $5.12

$1.71 COP 6,154

199.42%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$1.10 COP 3,949

152.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.78 COP 2,798

164.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$1.68 COP 6,035

315.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$3.07 COP 11.0K

167.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.09 COP 3,930

13.76%

White Bread (500g)

$4.86 $4.86

$1.26 COP 4,536

285.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$1.38 COP 4,953

191.30%

Eggs

$4.92 $4.92

$2.19 COP 7,876

124.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.31 $12.31

$4.40 COP 15.8K

179.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.43 $11.43

$5.63 COP 20.2K

103.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.62 $14.62

$8.89 COP 32.0K

64.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$2.34 COP 8,401

79.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.06 COP 3,801

74.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$1.50 COP 5,408

164.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.56 $5.56

$1.38 COP 4,955

302.90%

Potato (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$1.15 COP 4,137

278.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.16 COP 4,181

156.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$0.89 COP 3,202

102.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$0.84 COP 3,016

152.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.67 $9.67

$2.28 COP 8,196

324.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 $15.27

$10.64 COP 38.2K

43.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.20 COP 4,311

45.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 $4.58

$2.47 COP 8,880

85.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 $2.93

$0.86 COP 3,075

240.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.16 $49.16

$41.40 COP 148.8K

18.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.05 $4.05

$1.47 COP 5,297

175.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.96 COP 7,053

41.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.82 $31.82

$7.74 COP 27.8K

311.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$0.95 COP 3,430

30.53%

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

$23.6K $23.6K

$18.1K COP 65.2M

29.95%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$26.5K COP 95.2M

-3.68%

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

$200 $200

$82.3 COP 295.6K

143.39%

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

$53.5 $53.5

$9.50 COP 34.1K

463.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.7 $70.7

$24.23 COP 87.1K

191.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.21 $45.21

$25.89 COP 93.0K

74.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$14.09 $14.09

$3.93 COP 14.1K

258.52%

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

$1,184 $1,184

$309 COP 1.1M

282.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.6K $39.6K

$5,965 COP 21.4M

563.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 $57.7

$58.7 COP 210.8K

-1.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.88 $34.88

$32.35 COP 116.2K

7.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 $83.7

$103 COP 368.7K

-18.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 $129

$108 COP 389.6K

18.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,537 $2,537

$476 COP 1.7M

432.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,202 $2,202

$379 COP 1.4M

481.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,918 $4,918

$838 COP 3.0M

486.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,249 $5,249

$724 COP 2.6M

625.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,134 $8,134

$2,791 COP 10.0M

191.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,014 $5,014

$1,211 COP 4.4M

313.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,429 $5,429

$512 COP 1.8M

960.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.58

13.43

-51.01%

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

Last update for Huntington Beach, CA: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,537 in Huntington Beach, CA and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Huntington Beach, CA pays 961% 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: $84.0 in Huntington Beach, CA vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $188 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Huntington Beach, CA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 252% lower than in Huntington Beach, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Huntington Beach, CA pays 961% more on average, 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: $2,537 in Huntington Beach, CA versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 118% higher in Huntington Beach, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $84.0 in Huntington Beach, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $3,564 in Huntington Beach, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Huntington Beach, CA. 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 $1,013 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Huntington Beach, CA 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 252% less than in Huntington Beach, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.