Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hamra Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hamra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $881 in Hamra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,391 in Hamra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,901 in Hamra.

Living in Medellin is roughly 17% more expensive than in Hamra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Hamra 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$10.86 LBP 972.3K

-43.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$60.7 LBP 5.4M

-46.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.98 LBP 714.6K

-8.02%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$3.43 LBP 306.9K

-49.85%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.59 LBP 142.2K

-33.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.92 LBP 82.1K

-16.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$3.59 LBP 321.3K

-52.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$4.87 LBP 435.6K

-34.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.80 LBP 161.0K

-41.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.85 LBP 75.7K

52.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.84 LBP 164.6K

-23.91%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$3.21 LBP 287.2K

-32.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.49 LBP 1.0M

-61.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$9.49 LBP 849.2K

-38.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$11.44 LBP 1.0M

-24.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.78 LBP 159.4K

28.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.47 LBP 131.9K

-24.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.15 LBP 102.7K

33.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.09 LBP 97.3K

23.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.01 LBP 90.1K

11.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.05 LBP 93.7K

7.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.81 LBP 72.9K

4.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.52 LBP 46.2K

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$2.54 LBP 226.9K

-7.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$9.85 LBP 881.7K

25.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.28 LBP 114.9K

-6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.21 LBP 197.8K

12.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$5.06 LBP 452.5K

-71.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.28 LBP 114.3K

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$20.08 LBP 1.8M

-61.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.90 LBP 80.5K

10.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

-48.17%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$28.3K LBP 2.5B

-5.96%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$215 LBP 19.2M

-62.38%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$38.24 LBP 3.4M

-73.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$37.73 LBP 3.4M

-35.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$7.87 LBP 704.8K

-49.43%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$306 LBP 27.4M

-0.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,500 LBP 402.7M

34.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$69.8 LBP 6.3M

-16.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$44.95 LBP 4.0M

-28.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$125 LBP 11.2M

-19.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$96.3 LBP 8.6M

11.95%

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

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

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

11.16

20.34%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Hamra: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $61.0 in Hamra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $236 per month, with Medellin 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 Hamra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Hamra differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $881 including rent). Hamra 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 $1,321 in Hamra 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.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $306 in Hamra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Hamra – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $881 in Hamra versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hamra but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Hamra 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 Hamra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.