Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and El Progreso Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and El Progreso

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,018 in Medellin versus $565 in El Progreso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,609 in Medellin versus $896 in El Progreso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,200 in Medellin versus $1,227 in El Progreso.

Living in Medellin is roughly 80% more expensive than in El Progreso, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, El Progreso 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.0K

$5.87 HNL 157

1.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.0K

$24.96 HNL 667

32.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.8K

$7.76 HNL 208

-8.25%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,458

$1.46 HNL 39.03

17.12%

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

$1.05 COP 3,356

$1.00 HNL 26.70

5.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,311

$0.98 HNL 26.18

-26.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,502

$1.17 HNL 31.19

47.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$1.99 HNL 53.1

59.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,408

$1.33 HNL 35.57

-20.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,192

$2.10 HNL 56.1

-37.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,256

$1.22 HNL 32.66

9.02%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,298

$2.10 HNL 56.2

8.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.1K

$4.28 HNL 114

3.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 18.9K

$3.69 HNL 98.7

60.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.7K

$7.77 HNL 208

11.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,504

$3.00 HNL 80.4

-22.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,527

$1.46 HNL 38.94

-24.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,698

$1.44 HNL 38.46

2.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,415

$1.59 HNL 42.45

-13.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,754

$1.62 HNL 43.19

-27.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,744

$1.36 HNL 36.43

-13.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,890

$0.83 HNL 22.28

8.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,693

$1.71 HNL 45.83

-50.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,449

$2.44 HNL 65.3

-4.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,673

$1.29 HNL 34.46

-10.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,749

$1.80 HNL 48.27

34.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 130.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,517

$4.25 HNL 114

-66.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,127

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,020

$1.08 HNL 28.81

-12.96%

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

$17.8K COP 57.0M

$19.5K HNL 521.1K

-8.55%

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

$27.1K COP 86.7M

$19.0K HNL 508.5K

42.43%

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

$83.3 COP 266.5K

$81.4 HNL 2,176

2.35%

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

$9.66 COP 30.9K

$8.78 HNL 235

10.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.5K

$40.49 HNL 1,083

-40.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 80.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 61.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.0K

$5.93 HNL 159

-31.37%

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

$307 COP 981.2K

$246 HNL 6,584

24.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.9K

$45.70 HNL 1,222

31.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 104.5K

$35.35 HNL 945

-7.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 323.5K

$109 HNL 2,923

-7.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 345.7K

$104 HNL 2,791

3.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.6M

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 El Progreso: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $25.00 in El Progreso for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $181 per month, with El Progreso 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

Medellin vs El Progreso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Progreso is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 80% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,527 in Medellin and $848 in El Progreso 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% 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 $565 in El Progreso – a 80% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $565 in El Progreso versus $1,018 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in El Progreso but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes El Progreso the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, El Progreso 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.

Expats usually find El Progreso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.