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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $4,842 in Hamilton, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $9,251 in Hamilton, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 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 23% below the global median, while Hamilton is 262% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$59.9 BMD 59.9

-89.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$177 BMD 177

-81.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$15.27 BMD 15.27

-51.93%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$6.40 BMD 6.40

-73.13%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$3.50 BMD 3.50

-70.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$2.98 BMD 2.98

-74.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$10.17 BMD 10.17

-83.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$8.41 BMD 8.41

-62.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$4.34 BMD 4.34

-75.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$9.00 BMD 9.00

-85.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$5.37 BMD 5.37

-73.93%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$7.57 BMD 7.57

-71.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.68 BMD 11.68

-62.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$24.47 BMD 24.47

-75.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$31.87 BMD 31.87

-72.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$10.38 BMD 10.38

-78.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$6.27 BMD 6.27

-82.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$12.59 BMD 12.59

-87.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$11.30 BMD 11.30

-88.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$8.40 BMD 8.40

-86.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$4.98 BMD 4.98

-77.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$5.83 BMD 5.83

-85.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$3.20 BMD 3.20

-71.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$17.49 BMD 17.49

-86.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$24.59 BMD 24.59

-49.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$5.26 BMD 5.26

-77.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$4.63 BMD 4.63

-46.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$4.80 BMD 4.80

-82.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$70.1 BMD 70.1

-42.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$6.09 BMD 6.09

-76.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$3.43 BMD 3.43

-44.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$54.2 BMD 54.2

-85.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$2.37 BMD 2.37

-58.23%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$34.4K BMD 34.4K

-47.56%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$39.6K BMD 39.6K

-32.78%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$234 BMD 234

-65.46%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$121 BMD 121

-91.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$154 BMD 154

-84.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$185 BMD 185

-86.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$32.99 BMD 32.99

-41.95%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$13.72 BMD 13.72

-70.99%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$1,339 BMD 1,339

-77.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$24.6K BMD 24.6K

-75.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$78.5 BMD 78.5

-25.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$61.1 BMD 61.1

-47.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$135 BMD 135

-25.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$130 BMD 130

-16.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$3,377 BMD 3,377

-85.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$2,260 BMD 2,260

-83.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$8,611 BMD 8,611

-90.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$7,542 BMD 7,542

-90.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$14.6K BMD 14.6K

-77.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$9,325 BMD 9,325

-85.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$6,684 BMD 6,684

-90.77%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $3,377 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 984% 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: $193 vs $816 – 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: $1,031 in Medellin, $4,842 in Hamilton – roughly 370% apart. Hamilton costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $7,263 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $4,842 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 $1,031, than in Hamilton at $4,842. 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 $1,031 in Medellin to $4,842 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.