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: $1,641 in Medellin versus $144 in El Progreso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $289 in El Progreso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $434 in El Progreso.

Living in Medellin is roughly 1041% more expensive than in El Progreso, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, El Progreso is 90% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$4.85 HNL 130

65.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$25.23 HNL 678

91.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$8.15 HNL 219

15.58%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$1.47 HNL 39.42

100.00%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.81 HNL 21.75

129.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.97 HNL 26.13

50.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$1.52 HNL 40.85

111.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$1.96 HNL 52.6

191.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.34 HNL 35.88

7.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.14 HNL 30.67

49.12%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.62 HNL 43.40

78.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.44 HNL 38.64

9.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.65 HNL 44.20

-8.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$2.67 HNL 71.6

43.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.30 HNL 34.78

31.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$1.41 HNL 37.79

94.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

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

$169 COP 519.2K

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for El Progreso: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $25.00 in El Progreso for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $46.00 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 1041% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,462 in Medellin and $216 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 558% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in El Progreso – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $144 in El Progreso versus $1,641 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 1041% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.