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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $889 in Hamra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,403 in Hamra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,918 in Hamra.

Living in Medellin is roughly 14% more expensive than Hamra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Hamra 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$10.68 LBP 955.9K

-43.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$60.8 LBP 5.4M

-45.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.98 LBP 714.1K

-11.15%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.31 LBP 296.4K

-48.34%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.59 LBP 142.2K

-30.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.87 LBP 78.0K

-10.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$3.43 LBP 306.8K

-51.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$4.92 LBP 440.2K

-37.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.79 LBP 160.2K

-39.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.85 LBP 76.3K

48.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.75 LBP 156.6K

-21.14%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$3.17 LBP 283.5K

-30.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$11.32 LBP 1.0M

-61.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$9.31 LBP 833.2K

-39.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$11.23 LBP 1.0M

-20.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.72 LBP 154.3K

36.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.53 LBP 137.3K

-30.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.14 LBP 102.3K

31.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.10 LBP 98.2K

25.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.94 LBP 84.4K

22.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.99 LBP 88.8K

17.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.86 LBP 77.0K

3.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.56 LBP 50.3K

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.43 LBP 217.1K

-6.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$10.05 LBP 899.9K

5.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.28 LBP 114.9K

-6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.16 LBP 193.0K

14.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$4.90 LBP 438.8K

-70.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.27 LBP 113.6K

54.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$19.91 LBP 1.8M

-61.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.88 LBP 78.5K

7.95%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$35.3K LBP 3.2B

-48.70%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$28.2K LBP 2.5B

-6.14%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$211 LBP 18.9M

-61.05%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$37.01 LBP 3.3M

-74.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$37.63 LBP 3.4M

-35.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$8.03 LBP 718.9K

-51.06%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$302 LBP 27.1M

2.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,376 LBP 391.7M

36.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$70.0 LBP 6.3M

-16.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$45.64 LBP 4.1M

-29.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$122 LBP 10.9M

-15.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$94.6 LBP 8.5M

14.63%

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

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

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

11.16

20.34%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Hamra: May 31, 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 $188 vs $234 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 14% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $889 including rent). Hamra 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 $1,333 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 $309 in Medellin versus $302 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 $889 in Hamra versus $1,013 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 14% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.