Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hamilton Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hamilton

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $4,831 in Hamilton, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $9,260 in Hamilton, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $13.7K in Hamilton, rent included.

Medellin is about 79% cheaper than Hamilton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Hamilton is 261% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$60.6 BMD 60.6

-90.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$177 BMD 177

-81.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$14.87 BMD 14.87

-52.32%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$6.46 BMD 6.46

-73.53%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$3.37 BMD 3.37

-67.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$2.90 BMD 2.90

-73.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$10.16 BMD 10.16

-83.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$8.44 BMD 8.44

-63.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$4.38 BMD 4.38

-75.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$8.71 BMD 8.71

-85.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$5.59 BMD 5.59

-75.31%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$7.75 BMD 7.75

-71.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$11.49 BMD 11.49

-61.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$24.12 BMD 24.12

-76.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$31.75 BMD 31.75

-72.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$10.16 BMD 10.16

-76.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$6.18 BMD 6.18

-82.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$12.86 BMD 12.86

-88.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$11.27 BMD 11.27

-87.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$8.15 BMD 8.15

-85.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$4.96 BMD 4.96

-76.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$6.06 BMD 6.06

-85.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$3.21 BMD 3.21

-73.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$17.58 BMD 17.58

-87.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$24.56 BMD 24.56

-56.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$5.47 BMD 5.47

-78.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$4.43 BMD 4.43

-44.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$4.81 BMD 4.81

-82.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$68.1 BMD 68.1

-39.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$6.40 BMD 6.40

-77.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$3.44 BMD 3.44

-43.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$54.8 BMD 54.8

-85.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$2.36 BMD 2.36

-59.75%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$35.0K BMD 35.0K

-48.24%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$39.7K BMD 39.7K

-33.35%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$234 BMD 234

-64.89%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$117 BMD 117

-91.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$156 BMD 156

-84.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$191 BMD 191

-86.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$32.31 BMD 32.31

-41.19%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$13.73 BMD 13.73

-71.38%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$1,338 BMD 1,338

-76.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$24.5K BMD 24.5K

-75.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$78.8 BMD 78.8

-25.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$60.9 BMD 60.9

-46.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$138 BMD 138

-25.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$126 BMD 126

-13.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$3,342 BMD 3,342

-85.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$2,198 BMD 2,198

-82.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$8,541 BMD 8,541

-90.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$7,359 BMD 7,359

-90.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$15.1K BMD 15.1K

-81.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$9,439 BMD 9,439

-87.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$6,759 BMD 6,759

-92.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.22

86.01%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $3,342 in Hamilton. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1221% higher in Hamilton, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $177 in Hamilton. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $813 – 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 Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,013 in Medellin, $4,831 in Hamilton – roughly 377% apart. Hamilton costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $7,247 in Hamilton. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $177 in Hamilton. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $4,831 in Hamilton. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Hamilton at $4,831. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hamilton it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Hamilton has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,013 in Medellin to $4,831 in Hamilton. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hamilton makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.