Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Choloma Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Choloma

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $680 in Choloma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,141 in Choloma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,603 in Choloma.

Living in Medellin is roughly 50% more expensive than Choloma, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Choloma 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 21.4K

$5.66 HNL 151

5.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 119.6K

$37.07 HNL 988

-10.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 26.0K

$7.47 HNL 199

-3.21%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,848

$2.39 HNL 63.6

-31.80%

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

$1.09 COP 3,929

$0.96 HNL 25.59

13.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,621

$1.14 HNL 30.33

-35.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,237

$1.17 HNL 31.20

48.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.6K

$2.68 HNL 71.3

20.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,766

$1.40 HNL 37.38

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,643

$2.14 HNL 57.1

-39.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,748

$1.27 HNL 33.88

3.94%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,152

$2.13 HNL 56.8

6.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.6K

$6.13 HNL 164

-29.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.1K

$3.76 HNL 100

56.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.9K

$7.86 HNL 209

9.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,066

$2.85 HNL 76.0

-21.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,839

$1.50 HNL 39.89

-28.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,473

$1.51 HNL 40.38

0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,105

$1.56 HNL 41.59

-8.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,199

$1.60 HNL 42.67

-26.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,193

$1.40 HNL 37.44

-16.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,183

$0.88 HNL 23.55

1.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,235

$1.64 HNL 43.70

-45.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,059

$2.44 HNL 65.2

-7.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,089

$1.36 HNL 36.15

-16.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,537

$1.86 HNL 49.45

27.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,998

$0.61 HNL 16.33

37.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 150.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,051

$4.35 HNL 116

-67.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,823

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,608

$1.02 HNL 27.21

-0.98%

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

$17.6K COP 63.1M

$18.8K HNL 502.4K

-6.73%

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

$26.5K COP 95.1M

$19.0K HNL 507.1K

39.25%

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

$83.7 COP 300.3K

$81.5 HNL 2,173

2.65%

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

$9.45 COP 33.9K

$8.88 HNL 237

6.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.5K

$41.20 HNL 1,098

-41.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.7K

$5.85 HNL 156

-29.91%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$252 HNL 6,722

23.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 208.3K

$45.63 HNL 1,216

27.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.9K

$35.64 HNL 950

-8.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 357.6K

$111 HNL 2,949

-9.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 389.6K

$102 HNL 2,727

6.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$109 HNL 2,900

343.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$99.4 HNL 2,649

281.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

$343 HNL 9,145

144.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

$297 HNL 7,912

143.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Choloma: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $109 in Choloma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $37.00 in Choloma. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $188, with Choloma cheaper for home cooking.

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

Medellin vs Choloma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Choloma is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $1,019 in Choloma 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: $482 in Medellin versus $109 in Choloma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $680 in Choloma – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $680 in Choloma versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Choloma but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Choloma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Choloma is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Choloma 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 Choloma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.