Cost of Living Comparison Between Kauai, Hawaii and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kauai, Hawaii and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,577 in Kauai, Hawaii versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,708 in Kauai, Hawaii versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,839 in Kauai, Hawaii versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Kauai, Hawaii is roughly 53% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kauai, Hawaii 88% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.75 $18.75

$8.02 COP 25.5K

133.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 $73.8

$47.87 COP 152.0K

54.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.06 $11.06

$9.89 COP 31.4K

11.83%

Cappuccino

$5.16 $5.16

$3.13 COP 9,941

64.86%

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

$2.48 $2.48

$1.91 COP 6,061

29.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.51 COP 4,796

30.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.08 $6.08

$3.12 COP 9,921

94.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.81 $6.81

$5.75 COP 18.3K

18.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.44 COP 4,590

-29.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.49 COP 7,898

42.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$1.77 COP 5,634

148.59%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$2.96 COP 9,400

40.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.15 $12.15

$10.07 COP 32.0K

20.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.23 $11.23

$10.12 COP 32.1K

10.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.29 $15.29

$14.30 COP 45.4K

6.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$4.14 COP 13.1K

16.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.61 COP 5,109

2.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$2.25 COP 7,132

91.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$2.25 COP 7,154

112.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.04 COP 6,489

40.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.84 $2.84

$1.54 COP 4,876

84.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.17 COP 3,716

79.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.31 COP 4,150

64.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.39 $9.39

$3.90 COP 12.4K

140.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.27 $14.27

$14.01 COP 44.5K

1.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.74 COP 5,536

2.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.87 COP 9,116

20.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.22 COP 3,860

61.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 $3.55

$1.31 COP 4,157

170.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.19 COP 6,947

-24.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.56 $29.56

$8.71 COP 27.7K

239.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.37 COP 4,336

-39.42%

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

$29.2K $29.2K

$27.8K COP 88.4M

4.92%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-28.05%

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

$187 $187

$177 COP 563.1K

5.23%

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

$53.2 $53.2

$13.88 COP 44.1K

283.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.8 $67.8

$29.72 COP 94.4K

128.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.52 $42.52

$44.88 COP 142.6K

-5.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$13.68 $13.68

$6.65 COP 21.1K

105.71%

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

$1,282 $1,282

$813 COP 2.6M

57.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

156.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 $51.6

$89.5 COP 284.3K

-42.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 $39.79

$59.0 COP 187.3K

-32.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 $85.7

$138 COP 439.0K

-37.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$102 COP 324.4K

10.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 $1,630

$1,062 COP 3.4M

53.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 $1,367

$663 COP 2.1M

106.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,678 $2,678

$1,888 COP 6.0M

41.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,193 $2,193

$1,027 COP 3.3M

113.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,824 $2,824

$4,183 COP 13.3M

-32.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,404 $2,404

$1,675 COP 5.3M

43.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

10.94

-40.49%

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

Last update for Kauai, Hawaii: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,630 in Kauai, Hawaii and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $74.0 in Kauai, Hawaii vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $386 vs $305 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

Kauai, Hawaii vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 53% lower than in Kauai, Hawaii. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,866 in Kauai, Hawaii and $2,521 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: $1,630 in Kauai, Hawaii versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Kauai, Hawaii. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,577 per month in Kauai, Hawaii versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,577 in Kauai, Hawaii, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Kauai, Hawaii. 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 $1,681 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kauai, Hawaii 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 53% less than in Kauai, Hawaii. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.