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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,124 in Lihue, HI versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,521 in Lihue, HI versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,918 in Lihue, HI versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Lihue, HI is roughly 203% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lihue, HI is 134% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$45.18 $45.18

$6.16 COP 20.1K

633.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.0 $80.0

$32.60 COP 106.1K

145.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.44 $12.44

$7.34 COP 23.9K

69.48%

Cappuccino

$6.82 $6.82

$1.72 COP 5,599

296.51%

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

$2.57 $2.57

$1.05 COP 3,420

144.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.77 COP 2,515

158.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.90 $3.90

$1.69 COP 5,487

130.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 $3.91

$3.17 COP 10.3K

23.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.05 COP 3,423

72.38%

White Bread (500g)

$6.75 $6.75

$1.30 COP 4,236

419.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.40 COP 4,544

100.00%

Eggs

$10.29 $10.29

$2.16 COP 7,046

376.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.61 $15.61

$4.39 COP 14.3K

255.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.20 $15.20

$5.88 COP 19.1K

158.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.86 $19.86

$8.64 COP 28.1K

129.86%

Apples (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$2.28 COP 7,425

110.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.11 COP 3,603

47.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.86 $8.86

$1.53 COP 4,982

479.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.71 $9.71

$1.35 COP 4,410

619.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.13 COP 3,674

146.90%

Onion (1kg)

$6.09 $6.09

$1.13 COP 3,692

438.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.62 $3.62

$0.85 COP 2,753

325.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$0.91 COP 2,975

130.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.10 $12.10

$2.34 COP 7,629

417.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.03 $16.03

$12.37 COP 40.3K

29.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.20 COP 3,909

35.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 $1.62

$2.49 COP 8,104

-34.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.84 COP 2,727

140.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.2 $52.2

$40.57 COP 132.1K

28.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.42 COP 4,623

141.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.92 COP 6,235

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.57 $29.57

$7.66 COP 24.9K

286.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.99 COP 3,223

42.42%

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

$29.5K $29.5K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

63.74%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-2.25%

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

$190 $190

$80.8 COP 263.1K

135.47%

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

$30.24 $30.24

$9.95 COP 32.4K

203.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.6 $55.6

$24.18 COP 78.7K

129.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.65 $42.65

$25.08 COP 81.6K

70.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$8.98 $8.98

$3.98 COP 13.0K

125.63%

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

$1,204 $1,204

$305 COP 993.4K

294.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K $15.7K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

159.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 $50.3

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-13.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.78 $40.78

$32.20 COP 104.8K

26.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 $87.3

$101 COP 327.9K

-13.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$108 COP 350.8K

3.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,038 $2,038

$477 COP 1.6M

327.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 $1,506

$376 COP 1.2M

300.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,613 $2,613

$845 COP 2.7M

209.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,247 $2,247

$730 COP 2.4M

207.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,993 $2,993

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-6.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 $2,227

$1,372 COP 4.5M

62.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,976 $1,976

$617 COP 2.0M

220.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

13.43

-51.60%

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

Last update for Lihue, HI: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,038 in Lihue, HI and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lihue, HI pays 220% 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: $80.0 in Lihue, HI vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $542 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

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

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 203% lower than in Lihue, HI. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 220% higher in Lihue, 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: $2,038 in Lihue, HI versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,124 per month in Lihue, HI versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 203% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 29% less than in Lihue, HI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $3,124 in Lihue, HI, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Lihue, HI. 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 $1,031 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lihue, 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 203% less than in Lihue, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.