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: $2,599 in Kauai, Hawaii versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,746 in Kauai, Hawaii versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,894 in Kauai, Hawaii versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Kauai, Hawaii is roughly 159% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kauai, Hawaii is 95% above, Medellin is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.76 $18.76

$5.91 COP 18.6K

217.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.9 $74.9

$32.96 COP 103.8K

127.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.13 $11.13

$7.43 COP 23.4K

49.80%

Cappuccino

$5.16 $5.16

$1.65 COP 5,207

212.73%

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

$2.60 $2.60

$1.10 COP 3,468

136.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.78 COP 2,458

151.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.82 $5.82

$1.72 COP 5,412

238.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.98 $6.98

$3.18 COP 10.0K

119.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.10 COP 3,474

-5.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.26 COP 3,962

173.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$1.38 COP 4,349

218.12%

Eggs

$4.26 $4.26

$2.18 COP 6,858

95.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.48 $12.48

$4.49 COP 14.1K

177.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.50 $11.50

$5.79 COP 18.2K

98.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.32 $15.32

$8.97 COP 28.2K

70.79%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 $4.94

$2.32 COP 7,308

112.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.06 COP 3,352

49.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$1.52 COP 4,774

186.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$1.36 COP 4,270

243.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.13 COP 3,552

146.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.17 COP 3,689

135.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 $2.12

$0.90 COP 2,838

135.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$0.90 COP 2,823

131.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.64 $9.64

$2.23 COP 7,034

332.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.13 $14.13

$12.12 COP 38.2K

16.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.19 COP 3,743

52.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 $3.41

$2.48 COP 7,815

37.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.85 COP 2,687

132.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 $3.60

$1.42 COP 4,459

153.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.95 COP 6,141

-18.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.26 $29.26

$7.89 COP 24.8K

270.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$0.99 COP 3,118

-14.14%

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

$29.2K $29.2K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

65.94%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-4.65%

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

$185 $185

$83.0 COP 261.4K

122.66%

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

$53.0 $53.0

$9.70 COP 30.5K

445.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.5 $66.5

$23.52 COP 74.1K

182.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.31 $43.31

$25.26 COP 79.5K

71.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$13.39 $13.39

$3.95 COP 12.4K

238.99%

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

$1,298 $1,298

$316 COP 994.2K

311.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K $23.2K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

287.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 $51.0

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-15.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 $40.58

$31.82 COP 100.2K

27.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 $87.4

$102 COP 320.1K

-14.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$107 COP 338.3K

3.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,617 $1,617

$475 COP 1.5M

240.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 $1,379

$374 COP 1.2M

268.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,665 $2,665

$849 COP 2.7M

213.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,213 $2,213

$719 COP 2.3M

207.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,716 $2,716

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-16.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,435 $2,435

$1,441 COP 4.5M

69.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,617 in Kauai, Hawaii and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $75.0 in Kauai, Hawaii vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $193 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 159% 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 $3,899 in Kauai, Hawaii and $1,504 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: $1,617 in Kauai, Hawaii versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 100% higher in Kauai, Hawaii. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,599 per month in Kauai, Hawaii versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 159% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,599 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 $1,003 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 159% less than in Kauai, Hawaii. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.