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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $567 in El Progreso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $893 in El Progreso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,219 in El Progreso.

Living in Medellin is roughly 79% more expensive than 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

$5.95 COP 21.4K

$5.72 HNL 153

4.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 119.6K

$24.78 HNL 661

34.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 26.0K

$7.88 HNL 210

-8.25%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,848

$1.47 HNL 39.24

10.88%

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

$1.09 COP 3,929

$1.01 HNL 26.89

7.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,621

$1.03 HNL 27.38

-29.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,237

$1.16 HNL 31.05

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.6K

$1.99 HNL 53.0

62.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,766

$1.29 HNL 34.35

-18.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,643

$2.08 HNL 55.5

-37.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,748

$1.22 HNL 32.63

8.20%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,152

$2.04 HNL 54.4

11.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.6K

$4.45 HNL 119

-2.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.1K

$3.89 HNL 104

51.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.9K

$7.84 HNL 209

9.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,066

$2.97 HNL 79.3

-24.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,839

$1.44 HNL 38.34

-25.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,473

$1.45 HNL 38.66

4.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,105

$1.52 HNL 40.51

-6.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,199

$1.60 HNL 42.66

-26.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,193

$1.35 HNL 35.88

-13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,183

$0.89 HNL 23.69

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,235

$1.67 HNL 44.45

-46.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,059

$2.47 HNL 65.9

-8.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,089

$1.33 HNL 35.58

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,537

$1.80 HNL 48.01

32.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,998

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

$1.08 HNL 28.79

-6.48%

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

$17.6K COP 63.1M

$19.5K HNL 520.2K

-9.93%

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

$26.5K COP 95.1M

$19.4K HNL 518.0K

36.34%

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

$83.7 COP 300.3K

$80.7 HNL 2,150

3.72%

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

$9.45 COP 33.9K

$9.07 HNL 242

4.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.5K

$41.37 HNL 1,103

-41.72%

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

$5.73 HNL 153

-28.45%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$245 HNL 6,538

27.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 208.3K

$45.56 HNL 1,214

27.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.9K

$35.67 HNL 951

-8.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 357.6K

$111 HNL 2,952

-10.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 389.6K

$103 HNL 2,750

5.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

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 El Progreso: June 7, 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 $190 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 79% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $850 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 5% 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 $567 in El Progreso – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $567 in El Progreso versus $1,017 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 79% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.