Cost of Living Comparison Between Kailua, HI and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kailua, HI and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,159 in Kailua, HI versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,084 in Kailua, HI versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,010 in Kailua, HI versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Kailua, HI is roughly 153% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kailua, HI 202% above, Medellin 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.77 $27.77

$8.04 COP 24.8K

245.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$138 $138

$48.29 COP 148.6K

185.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.47 $11.47

$9.42 COP 29.0K

21.76%

Cappuccino

$6.30 $6.30

$2.94 COP 9,040

114.29%

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

$2.97 $2.97

$1.86 COP 5,735

59.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.46 COP 4,479

60.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.42 $9.42

$3.21 COP 9,882

193.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.90 $8.90

$5.71 COP 17.6K

55.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.44 COP 4,428

62.50%

White Bread (500g)

$7.78 $7.78

$2.40 COP 7,389

224.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.63 $7.63

$1.70 COP 5,228

348.82%

Eggs

$8.55 $8.55

$2.89 COP 8,896

195.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$10.06 COP 30.9K

86.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.02 $16.02

$9.97 COP 30.7K

60.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.36 $21.36

$14.20 COP 43.7K

50.42%

Apples (1kg)

$7.79 $7.79

$3.98 COP 12.3K

95.73%

Banana (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$1.58 COP 4,878

184.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$2.15 COP 6,624

214.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.36 $9.36

$2.30 COP 7,078

306.96%

Potato (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$2.00 COP 6,169

85.50%

Onion (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$1.51 COP 4,646

205.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.46 $4.46

$1.20 COP 3,701

271.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.28 COP 3,946

135.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.79 $12.79

$3.84 COP 11.8K

233.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.81 $16.81

$14.01 COP 43.1K

19.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.71 COP 5,256

56.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.74 COP 8,440

-24.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 $3.95

$1.25 COP 3,834

216.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.0 $89.0

$77.9 COP 239.7K

14.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.31 COP 4,016

164.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.17 COP 6,680

16.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.04 $45.04

$8.29 COP 25.5K

443.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.36 COP 4,172

-8.82%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

31.86%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-25.08%

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

$244 $244

$169 COP 519.2K

44.33%

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

$49.78 $49.78

$13.57 COP 41.8K

266.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.3 $62.3

$28.32 COP 87.2K

120.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.4 $70.4

$45.71 COP 140.7K

54.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.49 $40.49

$17.22 COP 53.0K

135.13%

Cinema Ticket

$18.40 $18.40

$6.65 COP 20.5K

176.69%

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

$2,142 $2,142

$803 COP 2.5M

166.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.3K $27.3K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

196.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 $61.8

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-29.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.85 $46.85

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-21.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$139 COP 427.5K

-26.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 $130

$102 COP 314.0K

27.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,761 $2,761

$1,071 COP 3.3M

157.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,303 $2,303

$653 COP 2.0M

252.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,192 $4,192

$1,925 COP 5.9M

117.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,747 $3,747

$1,048 COP 3.2M

257.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K $12.7K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

207.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,805 $9,805

$1,697 COP 5.2M

477.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,769 $4,769

$655 COP 2.0M

628.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.26

10.94

-42.78%

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

Last update for Kailua, HI: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,761 in Kailua, HI and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kailua, HI pays 628% 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: $138 in Kailua, HI vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $632 vs $300 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

Kailua, HI vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 153% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 628% higher in Kailua, HI, 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: $2,761 in Kailua, HI versus $1,071 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 14% less than in Kailua, HI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,142 in Kailua, HI versus $803 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,641 in Medellin versus $4,159 in Kailua, HI, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Kailua, HI. 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 Kailua, HI, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kailua, HI 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 153% less than in Kailua, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.