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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $411 in Hama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $620 in Hama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $829 in Hama.

Living in Medellin is roughly 147% more expensive than Hama, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Hama 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.53 SYP 390

69.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$12.23 SYP 1,351

168.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$2.49 SYP 275

184.74%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$0.73 SYP 80.6

134.25%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.89 SYP 98.3

23.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.48 SYP 53.5

62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.64 SYP 181

2.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.46 SYP 272

24.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.49 SYP 53.9

122.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.63 SYP 70.0

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.28 SYP 141

7.81%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.84 SYP 204

19.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$3.03 SYP 335

45.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.83 SYP 423

47.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$6.17 SYP 682

44.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$0.93 SYP 103

151.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.81 SYP 199

-41.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$0.99 SYP 109

51.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.52 SYP 57.2

165.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.53 SYP 58.1

116.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.44 SYP 48.54

163.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.24 SYP 26.44

270.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.58 SYP 63.8

44.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$2.55 SYP 282

-10.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$5.80 SYP 640

83.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$0.98 SYP 108

22.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.77 SYP 195

39.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.22 SYP 24.66

290.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.48 SYP 53.4

206.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.52 SYP 57.3

276.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.63 SYP 733

16.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.47 SYP 162

-35.37%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$18.6K SYP 2.1M

-2.32%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$20.6K SYP 2.3M

28.64%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$104 SYP 11.5K

-20.78%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$8.64 SYP 955

9.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$54.4 SYP 6,010

-55.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$3.44 SYP 380

652.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$3.43 SYP 379

453.94%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$2.92 SYP 322

34.59%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$35.55 SYP 3,928

770.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$490 SYP 54.2K

1116.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$9.89 SYP 1,092

493.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$25.28 SYP 2,793

27.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$45.23 SYP 4,998

126.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$20.11 SYP 2,222

439.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$89.1 SYP 9,840

841.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$65.4 SYP 7,229

1006.47%

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

11.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Hama: June 1, 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 $188 vs $123 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 147% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $411 including rent). Hama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,519 in Medellin and $616 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 53% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $411 in Hama – a 147% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $411 in Hama versus $1,013 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 147% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.