Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hama Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $553 in Hama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $855 in Hama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,156 in Hama.

Living in Medellin is roughly 204% more expensive than in Hama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Hama is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$7.64 SYP 928

4.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$30.17 SYP 3,666

58.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$2.72 SYP 330

263.60%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$1.13 SYP 137

176.99%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$2.30 SYP 280

-16.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.86 SYP 104

75.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$1.88 SYP 228

65.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$1.72 SYP 209

234.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.05 SYP 127

37.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.41 SYP 49.93

507.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$1.63 SYP 199

8.59%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.62 SYP 196

82.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$3.89 SYP 472

158.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$5.56 SYP 675

82.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$13.65 SYP 1,659

4.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$1.06 SYP 129

290.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.42 SYP 172

13.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$1.14 SYP 138

97.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.01 SYP 123

122.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$0.76 SYP 92.3

168.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.75 SYP 90.8

105.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.40 SYP 49.14

192.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.66 SYP 80.8

98.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$2.70 SYP 328

44.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$5.93 SYP 721

136.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.05 SYP 128

65.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$2.97 SYP 361

-3.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.17 SYP 21.11

617.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.98 SYP 119

33.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$1.50 SYP 183

46.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$7.89 SYP 959

10.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$3.77 SYP 459

-63.66%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$15.0K SYP 1.8M

85.28%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$19.2K SYP 2.3M

86.42%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$142 SYP 17.2K

24.94%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$9.01 SYP 1,095

54.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$22.85 SYP 2,776

30.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$5.60 SYP 680

18.75%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$66.5 SYP 8,083

1122.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$1,770 SYP 215.0K

419.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$29.01 SYP 3,525

208.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$39.52 SYP 4,801

49.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$60.3 SYP 7,330

129.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$57.4 SYP 6,973

77.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

14.25

-23.23%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Hama: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $30.00 in Hama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $168 per month, with Hama 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 Hama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Hama differ by about 204% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $553 including rent). Hama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,521 in Medellin and $830 in Hama 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 81% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $553 in Hama – a 204% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $553 in Hama versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hama but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Hama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Hama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 204% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.