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: $1,018 in Medellin versus $699 in Choloma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,609 in Medellin versus $1,166 in Choloma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,200 in Medellin versus $1,633 in Choloma.

Living in Medellin is roughly 46% more expensive than in Choloma, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Choloma 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$5.78 HNL 155

2.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.6K

$37.84 HNL 1,012

-12.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$7.82 HNL 209

-8.95%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,487

$2.35 HNL 62.8

-27.23%

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

$1.05 COP 3,374

$0.96 HNL 25.63

9.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,324

$1.14 HNL 30.46

-36.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,531

$1.14 HNL 30.46

50.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$2.65 HNL 70.9

19.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,426

$1.39 HNL 37.17

-23.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,215

$2.09 HNL 56.0

-37.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,279

$1.23 HNL 33.02

8.13%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,338

$2.04 HNL 54.7

11.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$6.14 HNL 164

-28.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$3.74 HNL 100

58.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$8.16 HNL 218

5.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,545

$2.87 HNL 76.7

-18.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,546

$1.50 HNL 40.09

-26.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,724

$1.47 HNL 39.22

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,439

$1.51 HNL 40.42

-8.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,774

$1.59 HNL 42.60

-26.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,765

$1.35 HNL 35.98

-13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,905

$0.85 HNL 22.70

5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,708

$1.65 HNL 44.00

-49.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,490

$2.44 HNL 65.3

-4.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,693

$1.34 HNL 35.77

-14.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,791

$1.84 HNL 49.09

31.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,702

$0.57 HNL 15.36

47.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,541

$4.31 HNL 115

-67.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,160

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,037

$1.02 HNL 27.37

-7.84%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$19.1K HNL 509.8K

-6.52%

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

$27.1K COP 87.1M

$19.5K HNL 522.4K

38.67%

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

$83.3 COP 267.9K

$83.8 HNL 2,241

-0.64%

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

$9.66 COP 31.1K

$9.09 HNL 243

6.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.9K

$41.29 HNL 1,105

-41.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$5.73 HNL 153

-28.97%

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

$307 COP 986.5K

$252 HNL 6,736

21.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.9K

$45.43 HNL 1,215

31.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 105.1K

$36.56 HNL 978

-10.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 325.2K

$109 HNL 2,917

-7.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.6K

$104 HNL 2,787

3.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$108 HNL 2,897

339.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$99.3 HNL 2,656

281.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$350 HNL 9,350

133.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$297 HNL 7,943

138.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Choloma: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $108 in Choloma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $38.00 in Choloma. Groceries flip the comparison at $192 vs $187, 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 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,527 in Medellin and $1,049 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: $476 in Medellin versus $108 in Choloma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,018 per month in Medellin versus $699 in Choloma – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $699 in Choloma versus $1,018 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 46% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.