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 $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $812 in Half Way Tree, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,313 in Half Way Tree, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,814 in Half Way Tree, rent included.

Medellin costs about 25% more than Half Way Tree, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Half Way Tree are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Half Way Tree 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.71 JMD 741

27.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$63.7 JMD 10.0K

-48.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.99 JMD 1,414

-21.13%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$4.23 JMD 665

-59.57%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.98 JMD 155

12.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.64 JMD 101

21.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$2.51 JMD 395

-33.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$3.04 JMD 478

0.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$3.69 JMD 580

-70.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.66 JMD 261

-24.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.37 JMD 215

0.73%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$3.41 JMD 536

-35.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$10.93 JMD 1,719

-59.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.17 JMD 970

-8.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$7.42 JMD 1,166

19.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$4.19 JMD 659

-44.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$3.05 JMD 480

-65.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$4.04 JMD 636

-62.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$2.81 JMD 442

-50.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$2.04 JMD 321

-43.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.91 JMD 301

-39.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.27 JMD 199

-29.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.98 JMD 154

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$8.70 JMD 1,368

-73.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$11.24 JMD 1,767

-5.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$2.78 JMD 437

-56.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$3.04 JMD 478

-18.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.60 JMD 94.6

43.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$44.06 JMD 6,929

-6.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.93 JMD 145

58.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$3.13 JMD 492

-37.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.09 JMD 957

27.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.26 JMD 198

-24.60%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$42.1K JMD 6.6M

-56.89%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$32.9K JMD 5.2M

-19.56%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$161 JMD 25.3K

-48.90%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$22.08 JMD 3,472

-56.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$44.16 JMD 6,945

-45.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$13.30 JMD 2,091

-70.45%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$62.8 JMD 9,873

392.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$2,509 JMD 394.5K

137.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$15.58 JMD 2,450

276.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$25.66 JMD 4,035

26.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$31.15 JMD 4,899

229.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$31.21 JMD 4,908

247.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$1,122 JMD 176.5K

-57.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Half Way Tree: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $1,122 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 $64.0 in Half Way Tree. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $297 – 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 25% 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,217 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 6% less in Half Way Tree. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $62.8 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 $812, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $812 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 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.