Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ha Dong Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ha Dong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $751 in Ha Dong, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,153 in Ha Dong, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,554 in Ha Dong, rent included.

Medellin costs about 35% more than Ha Dong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Ha Dong are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Ha Dong 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$1.98 ₫51.9K

202.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$26.32 ₫691.5K

24.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.56 ₫119.8K

55.48%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.78 ₫46.8K

-3.93%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.48 ₫12.6K

129.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.25 ₫6,534

212.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.00 ₫26.2K

68.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$1.95 ₫51.2K

57.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.39 ₫36.5K

-21.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.91 ₫23.9K

38.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.90 ₫23.6K

53.33%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.49 ₫39.0K

46.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.18 ₫241.2K

-52.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.80 ₫99.8K

48.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$9.73 ₫255.5K

-8.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$3.40 ₫89.3K

-31.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.05 ₫27.6K

0.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.62 ₫42.6K

-7.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.13 ₫29.6K

22.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.07 ₫28.1K

7.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.02 ₫26.7K

13.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.56 ₫14.7K

58.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.54 ₫14.2K

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$1.36 ₫35.9K

67.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$13.42 ₫352.6K

-20.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$0.97 ₫25.5K

23.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.82 ₫47.8K

35.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.34 ₫8,947

152.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$6.66 ₫175.0K

521.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.76 ₫19.9K

93.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.62 ₫16.3K

216.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$1.60 ₫42.0K

383.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.89 ₫23.4K

6.74%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$38.5K ₫1.0B

-52.85%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$31.5K ₫826.9M

-15.84%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$79.2 ₫2.1M

3.88%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$5.25 ₫138.1K

80.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$8.76 ₫230.1K

176.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$21.09 ₫554.3K

22.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$7.71 ₫202.5K

146.43%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.74 ₫98.2K

5.08%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$269 ₫7.1M

15.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$11.6K ₫305.1M

-48.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$43.71 ₫1.1M

34.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$23.04 ₫605.3K

40.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$87.6 ₫2.3M

17.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$71.5 ₫1.9M

51.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$362 ₫9.5M

31.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$252 ₫6.6M

50.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$681 ₫17.9M

23.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$467 ₫12.3M

54.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$3,869 ₫101.7M

-27.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,651 ₫43.4M

-26.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.1

47.58%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ha Dong: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $362 in Ha Dong. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Ha Dong. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $193 in Ha Dong – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Ha Dong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 35% more than Ha Dong, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,127 in Ha Dong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ha Dong, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $26.00 in Ha Dong. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $751 in Ha Dong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ha Dong, where all-in costs run around $751, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Ha Dong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ha Dong costs $751 versus $1,013 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ha Dong. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.