Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hargeysa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hargeysa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $676 in Hargeysa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,015 in Hargeysa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,353 in Hargeysa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 50% more than Hargeysa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Hargeysa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Hargeysa 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$2.62 SOS 1,488

128.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$15.25 SOS 8,664

115.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.45 SOS 3,094

30.09%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.15 SOS 651

48.70%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.91 SOS 516

20.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.48 SOS 273

62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$10.07 SOS 5,719

-83.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$10.13 SOS 5,756

-69.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.27 SOS 720

-14.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.78 SOS 445

61.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.69 SOS 960

-18.34%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.75 SOS 1,561

-20.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$1.96 SOS 1,111

124.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.15 SOS 3,494

-8.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$4.57 SOS 2,598

94.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$3.35 SOS 1,902

-30.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.96 SOS 1,113

-45.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$2.60 SOS 1,476

-42.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.84 SOS 479

64.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.99 SOS 561

16.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.36 SOS 773

-14.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.52 SOS 297

71.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.76 SOS 429

10.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$0.97 SOS 553

135.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.27 SOS 152

218.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$29.45 SOS 16.7K

40.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$3.02 SOS 1,713

-51.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.88 SOS 501

122.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$7.06 SOS 4,011

9.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.06 SOS 599

-10.38%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$110 SOS 62.4K

-25.12%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$7.46 SOS 4,236

27.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$27.30 SOS 15.5K

-11.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$35.11 SOS 19.9K

-26.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$8.83 SOS 5,015

115.18%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.07 SOS 2,881

-22.49%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$36.97 SOS 21.0K

736.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$604 SOS 343.1K

887.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$22.63 SOS 12.9K

159.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$19.91 SOS 11.3K

62.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$19.83 SOS 11.3K

417.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$29.85 SOS 17.0K

263.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$187 SOS 106.1K

154.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$123 SOS 69.6K

209.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$444 SOS 252.0K

88.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$247 SOS 140.4K

192.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$4,939 SOS 2.8M

-43.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$269 SOS 152.6K

90.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-32.85%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Hargeysa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $187 in Hargeysa. 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 90% higher in Medellin, 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 $15.00 in Hargeysa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $149 – making Hargeysa 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 Hargeysa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 50% more than Hargeysa, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,014 in Hargeysa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $676 in Hargeysa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 41% less in Hargeysa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hargeysa, where all-in costs run around $676, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Hargeysa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hargeysa costs $676 versus $1,013 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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