Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Half Way Tree Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Half Way Tree

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $871 in Half Way Tree, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,444 in Half Way Tree, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,016 in Half Way Tree, rent included.

Medellin costs about 88% more than Half Way Tree, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Half Way Tree is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$4.65 JMD 730

72.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$76.1 JMD 11.9K

-36.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$8.59 JMD 1,349

9.66%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$5.42 JMD 851

-45.76%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.92 JMD 145

102.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.61 JMD 96.5

139.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.14 JMD 337

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.22 JMD 505

77.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$3.89 JMD 611

-62.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.74 JMD 273

37.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.35 JMD 212

25.93%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$3.50 JMD 549

-17.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$11.61 JMD 1,823

-13.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$6.28 JMD 987

58.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$10.21 JMD 1,604

39.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$4.29 JMD 674

-7.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$4.00 JMD 629

-60.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$4.21 JMD 661

-48.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$2.82 JMD 442

-18.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$2.75 JMD 432

-27.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.71 JMD 425

-44.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$1.28 JMD 200

-6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.90 JMD 142

42.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$9.73 JMD 1,529

-60.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$11.18 JMD 1,756

25.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.90 JMD 456

-41.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$3.93 JMD 617

-30.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$43.40 JMD 6,817

79.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.98 JMD 153

33.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$3.08 JMD 483

-29.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$6.49 JMD 1,019

27.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.42 JMD 223

-4.23%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$44.0K JMD 6.9M

-37.53%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$32.9K JMD 5.2M

11.18%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$172 JMD 27.0K

-1.87%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$29.24 JMD 4,594

-53.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$44.52 JMD 6,993

-36.39%

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

$13.51 JMD 2,122

-50.78%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$63.9 JMD 10.0K

1158.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$8,392 JMD 1.3M

9.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$15.95 JMD 2,506

447.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$32.03 JMD 5,032

85.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$31.91 JMD 5,013

335.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$31.78 JMD 4,991

221.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$1,118 JMD 175.7K

-4.24%

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

9.45

15.77%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Half Way Tree: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $1,118 in Half Way Tree. 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $76.0 in Half Way Tree. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $323 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Half Way Tree: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 88% more than Half Way Tree, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,307 in Half Way Tree. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 79% less in Half Way Tree. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Medellin and $63.9 in Half Way Tree. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Half Way Tree, where all-in costs run around $871, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Half Way Tree it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Half Way Tree costs $871 versus $1,641 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 Half Way Tree. 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.