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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $799 in Half Way Tree, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,314 in Half Way Tree, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,828 in Half Way Tree, rent included.

Medellin costs about 29% more than Half Way Tree, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Half Way Tree are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Half Way Tree 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.59 JMD 724

34.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$61.6 JMD 9,720

-47.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.62 JMD 1,360

-14.85%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$4.28 JMD 675

-59.81%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.96 JMD 151

9.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.66 JMD 104

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.52 JMD 398

-32.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.06 JMD 483

3.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$3.85 JMD 608

-72.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.67 JMD 264

-22.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.42 JMD 224

-1.41%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$3.48 JMD 549

-37.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.01 JMD 1,737

-60.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.17 JMD 973

-4.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.51 JMD 1,185

15.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$4.21 JMD 664

-45.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$3.01 JMD 474

-63.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$4.26 JMD 673

-64.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.71 JMD 428

-50.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.08 JMD 328

-45.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.99 JMD 314

-43.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.23 JMD 193

-30.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.91 JMD 144

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$8.75 JMD 1,381

-73.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$11.27 JMD 1,778

9.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.78 JMD 438

-56.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.07 JMD 484

-18.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.61 JMD 95.8

37.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$43.98 JMD 6,940

-7.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.96 JMD 152

47.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$3.10 JMD 489

-38.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.42 JMD 1,012

19.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.27 JMD 201

-22.05%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$42.4K JMD 6.7M

-57.49%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

-21.03%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$165 JMD 26.1K

-51.09%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$22.03 JMD 3,476

-54.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$43.47 JMD 6,859

-44.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$13.02 JMD 2,054

-69.43%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$61.7 JMD 9,737

394.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$2,448 JMD 386.2K

147.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$15.82 JMD 2,497

267.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$25.94 JMD 4,094

24.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$31.22 JMD 4,926

222.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$31.60 JMD 4,986

240.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$1,108 JMD 174.8K

-56.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.15

46.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Half Way Tree: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $1,108 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $62.0 in Half Way Tree. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $300 – 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 29% more than Half Way Tree, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,199 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 8% less in Half Way Tree. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $61.7 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 $799, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $799 versus $1,031 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.