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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $405 in Hama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $615 in Hama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $824 in Hama.

Living in Medellin is roughly 154% more expensive than in Hama, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Hama 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.54 SYP 430

74.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$11.93 SYP 1,449

173.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$2.56 SYP 311

186.72%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$0.79 SYP 95.5

117.72%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.88 SYP 107

19.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.48 SYP 58.4

60.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.59 SYP 193

6.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.45 SYP 298

29.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.52 SYP 63.2

101.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.59 SYP 72.2

120.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.23 SYP 149

13.82%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.87 SYP 228

15.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$2.97 SYP 361

47.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.74 SYP 454

57.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$6.02 SYP 732

43.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$0.92 SYP 111

147.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.81 SYP 220

-38.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$0.98 SYP 119

56.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.51 SYP 62.6

164.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.54 SYP 65.0

109.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.47 SYP 56.7

140.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.24 SYP 29.11

254.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.58 SYP 70.8

56.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$2.48 SYP 301

-5.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$5.97 SYP 726

107.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.97 SYP 118

23.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.75 SYP 212

42.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.18 SYP 21.97

366.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.48 SYP 57.8

195.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.48 SYP 57.8

300.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.36 SYP 772

20.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.47 SYP 178

-32.65%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$18.3K SYP 2.2M

-1.30%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$21.4K SYP 2.6M

24.53%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$101 SYP 12.2K

-19.77%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$8.21 SYP 998

21.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$54.3 SYP 6,601

-55.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$3.53 SYP 430

610.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$3.48 SYP 423

450.29%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$2.95 SYP 358

34.92%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$34.44 SYP 4,185

786.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$506 SYP 61.4K

1098.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$9.87 SYP 1,200

488.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$25.30 SYP 3,074

27.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$44.15 SYP 5,365

128.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$20.32 SYP 2,469

430.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$90.9 SYP 11.0K

829.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$65.7 SYP 7,983

1011.92%

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

11.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Hama: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $12.00 in Hama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $122 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 154% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $405 including rent). Hama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,546 in Medellin and $608 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 58% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $405 in Hama – a 154% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $405 in Hama versus $1,031 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 154% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.