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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $679 in Hargeysa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,009 in Hargeysa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,339 in Hargeysa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 52% more than Hargeysa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Hargeysa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Hargeysa 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.65 SOS 1,506

132.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$15.02 SOS 8,532

117.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.58 SOS 3,169

31.54%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.15 SOS 656

49.57%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.95 SOS 538

10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.48 SOS 274

60.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$10.18 SOS 5,781

-83.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$9.80 SOS 5,568

-67.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.34 SOS 760

-21.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.72 SOS 409

80.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.66 SOS 943

-15.66%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.73 SOS 1,548

-20.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$2.02 SOS 1,148

117.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.09 SOS 3,457

-3.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$4.53 SOS 2,570

90.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.41 SOS 1,936

-33.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.03 SOS 1,151

-45.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.70 SOS 1,535

-43.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.84 SOS 479

60.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.03 SOS 582

9.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.31 SOS 742

-13.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.52 SOS 298

63.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.79 SOS 451

15.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$0.98 SOS 556

138.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.27 SOS 152

211.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$30.10 SOS 17.1K

34.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$3.02 SOS 1,717

-52.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.93 SOS 531

106.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.90 SOS 3,921

11.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.00 SOS 570

-1.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$112 SOS 63.5K

-27.74%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$7.48 SOS 4,249

33.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$27.10 SOS 15.4K

-10.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$34.36 SOS 19.5K

-27.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$9.08 SOS 5,157

110.90%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.91 SOS 2,786

-18.94%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$37.39 SOS 21.2K

716.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$600 SOS 340.6K

910.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$22.07 SOS 12.5K

163.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$20.21 SOS 11.5K

59.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$20.29 SOS 11.5K

396.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$30.40 SOS 17.3K

254.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$187 SOS 106.2K

154.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$123 SOS 69.6K

207.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$448 SOS 254.5K

88.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$246 SOS 139.9K

196.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$5,019 SOS 2.9M

-35.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$300 SOS 170.6K

105.33%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Hargeysa: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 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 105% 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: $193 vs $150 – 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 52% 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,019 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $679 in Hargeysa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 35% 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 $679, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $679 versus $1,031 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.