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: $2,602 in Kauai, Hawaii versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,739 in Kauai, Hawaii versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,876 in Kauai, Hawaii versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Kauai, Hawaii is roughly 156% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kauai, Hawaii is 94% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.89 $18.89

$5.95 COP 20.8K

217.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$33.33 COP 116.3K

127.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 $10.81

$7.23 COP 25.2K

49.52%

Cappuccino

$4.96 $4.96

$1.63 COP 5,687

204.29%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$1.09 COP 3,821

128.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.73 COP 2,548

169.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.06 $6.06

$1.74 COP 6,065

248.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.93 $6.93

$3.23 COP 11.3K

114.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.05 COP 3,662

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 $3.41

$1.29 COP 4,515

164.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$1.32 COP 4,617

231.06%

Eggs

$4.04 $4.04

$2.27 COP 7,927

77.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.28 $12.28

$4.35 COP 15.2K

182.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.39 $11.39

$5.88 COP 20.5K

93.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.63 $15.63

$8.61 COP 30.0K

81.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$2.25 COP 7,844

119.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.07 COP 3,733

50.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$1.52 COP 5,322

173.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$1.42 COP 4,964

233.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$1.17 COP 4,084

141.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.17 COP 4,077

145.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$0.89 COP 3,096

133.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$0.90 COP 3,146

132.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.61 $9.61

$2.25 COP 7,837

327.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.93 $13.93

$11.04 COP 38.5K

26.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.14 COP 3,977

61.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.38 COP 8,301

44.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.84 COP 2,916

144.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 $3.47

$1.41 COP 4,912

146.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.90 COP 6,634

-12.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.75 $28.75

$7.75 COP 27.0K

270.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.01 COP 3,509

-15.84%

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

$29.2K $29.2K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

66.23%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-4.86%

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

$184 $184

$83.7 COP 292.1K

120.05%

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

$53.5 $53.5

$9.45 COP 33.0K

465.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.5 $66.5

$24.11 COP 84.1K

175.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.38 $43.38

$25.31 COP 88.3K

71.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$13.34 $13.34

$4.10 COP 14.3K

225.37%

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

$1,281 $1,281

$312 COP 1.1M

310.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K $23.2K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

287.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 $51.0

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-12.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.77 $40.77

$32.56 COP 113.6K

25.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 $87.3

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-12.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$109 COP 378.8K

4.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,586 $1,586

$482 COP 1.7M

228.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,364 $1,364

$379 COP 1.3M

259.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,672 $2,672

$837 COP 2.9M

219.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,192 $2,192

$723 COP 2.5M

203.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,821 $2,821

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-0.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,461 $2,461

$1,223 COP 4.3M

101.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

13.43

-51.53%

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

Last update for Kauai, Hawaii: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,586 in Kauai, Hawaii and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $76.0 in Kauai, Hawaii vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $385 vs $190 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 156% 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 $3,903 in Kauai, Hawaii and $1,525 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: $1,586 in Kauai, Hawaii versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 103% higher in Kauai, Hawaii. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,602 per month in Kauai, Hawaii versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 156% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $2,602 in Kauai, Hawaii, a $1,500 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 $1,017 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 156% less than in Kauai, Hawaii. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.