Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hanoi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hanoi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $758 in Hanoi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,241 in Hanoi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,724 in Hanoi.

Living in Medellin is roughly 36% more expensive than in Hanoi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Hanoi 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$1.91 ₫50.1K

222.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$27.24 ₫716.1K

19.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.62 ₫121.4K

58.87%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.79 ₫47.2K

-3.91%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.49 ₫12.8K

114.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.27 ₫7,104

185.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$0.93 ₫24.4K

81.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.94 ₫51.0K

63.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.42 ₫37.4K

-26.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.98 ₫25.9K

32.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.91 ₫24.0K

53.85%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.49 ₫39.1K

44.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$8.94 ₫235.1K

-50.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.78 ₫99.4K

55.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.49 ₫249.4K

-8.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.26 ₫85.7K

-30.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.06 ₫27.9K

4.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.60 ₫42.0K

-4.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.08 ₫28.5K

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.07 ₫28.2K

5.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.05 ₫27.7K

7.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.55 ₫14.5K

54.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.57 ₫14.9K

59.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.38 ₫36.2K

69.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$13.54 ₫355.9K

-8.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.90 ₫23.6K

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.76 ₫46.2K

41.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.33 ₫8,776

154.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$7.56 ₫198.8K

436.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.81 ₫21.2K

75.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.61 ₫16.0K

214.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$1.60 ₫42.0K

378.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.84 ₫22.1K

17.86%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$38.6K ₫1.0B

-53.24%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$32.3K ₫847.9M

-17.44%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$78.8 ₫2.1M

2.51%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$5.14 ₫135.1K

93.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$8.79 ₫231.1K

175.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$28.49 ₫749.0K

-11.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$11.02 ₫289.7K

73.77%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.74 ₫98.5K

6.42%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$269 ₫7.1M

13.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$11.4K ₫300.7M

-47.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$45.01 ₫1.2M

29.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$23.24 ₫611.1K

38.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$87.9 ₫2.3M

14.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$73.5 ₫1.9M

46.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$329 ₫8.6M

45.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$248 ₫6.5M

51.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$771 ₫20.3M

9.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$608 ₫16.0M

20.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$4,891 ₫128.6M

-34.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,709 ₫71.2M

-49.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$516 ₫13.6M

19.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.1

47.58%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Hanoi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $329 in Hanoi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 20% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $27.00 in Hanoi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $192 per month, with Hanoi 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 Hanoi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Hanoi differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $758 including rent). Hanoi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 20% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $329 in Hanoi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Hanoi runs roughly 437% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $269 in Hanoi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $758 in Hanoi versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hanoi but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Hanoi 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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Hanoi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Hanoi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.