🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,212 in Harish.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $3,068 in Harish.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $3,923 in Harish.
🙂Living in Medellin costs roughly 54% less than in Harish, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Harish is 65% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Harish
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.99COP 21.4K
$21.45₪61.6
-72.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.86COP 117.2K
$88.4₪254
-62.84%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.09COP 25.3K
$16.44₪47.19
-56.87%
Cappuccino
$1.71COP 6,105
$4.35₪12.50
-60.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,918
$2.79₪8.00
-60.57%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78COP 2,776
$2.35₪6.76
-66.81%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.68COP 5,987
$8.47₪24.32
-80.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07COP 10.9K
$6.67₪19.14
-53.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Harish
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.09COP 3,899
$1.85₪5.30
-41.08%
White Bread(500g)
$1.26COP 4,500
$2.77₪7.96
-54.51%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,914
$1.39₪3.98
-0.72%
Eggs
$2.19COP 7,813
$3.41₪9.80
-35.78%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.40COP 15.7K
$5.69₪16.35
-22.67%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.63COP 20.1K
$9.90₪28.42
-43.13%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.89COP 31.7K
$14.25₪40.90
-37.61%
Apples(1kg)
$2.34COP 8,334
$3.74₪10.75
-37.43%
Banana(1kg)
$1.06COP 3,771
$1.71₪4.91
-38.01%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.50COP 5,365
$1.44₪4.13
4.17%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,915
$1.39₪4.00
-0.72%
Potato(1kg)
$1.15COP 4,104
$1.44₪4.13
-20.14%
Onion(1kg)
$1.16COP 4,148
$0.80₪2.30
45.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.89COP 3,176
$2.17₪6.22
-58.99%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84COP 2,992
$1.38₪3.97
-39.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28COP 8,131
$10.04₪28.82
-77.29%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.64COP 37.9K
$17.94₪51.5
-40.69%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20COP 4,276
$1.92₪5.51
-37.50%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47COP 8,809
$1.99₪5.71
24.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Harish
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.86COP 3,051
$1.65₪4.74
-47.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.40COP 147.6K
$71.6₪205
-42.15%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.47COP 5,255
$3.98₪11.44
-63.07%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.96COP 6,997
$0.86₪2.48
127.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.74COP 27.6K
$42.22₪121
-81.67%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.95COP 3,403
$1.87₪5.37
-49.20%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.1KCOP 64.6M
$33.8K₪97.1K
-46.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5KCOP 94.4M
$46.0K₪131.9K
-42.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Harish
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.3COP 293.2K
$189₪541
-56.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.50COP 33.9K
$9.98₪28.64
-4.81%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.23COP 86.4K
$29.44₪84.5
-17.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Harish
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.89COP 92.3K
$79.0₪227
-67.22%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.00COP 67.7K
$8.41₪24.14
125.92%
Cinema Ticket
$3.93COP 14.0K
$12.44₪35.70
-68.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Harish
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$309COP 1.1M
$833₪2,392
-62.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,965COP 21.3M
$9,156₪26.3K
-34.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Harish
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.7COP 209.1K
$70.1₪201
-16.34%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.35COP 115.3K
$63.1₪181
-48.76%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103COP 365.7K
$101₪289
2.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108COP 386.5K
$170₪487
-36.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Harish
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$476COP 1.7M
$1,007₪2,892
-52.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$379COP 1.4M
$930₪2,671
-59.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$838COP 3.0M
$1,514₪4,348
-44.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$724COP 2.6M
$1,016₪2,918
-28.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,791COP 9.9M
$9,921₪28.5K
-71.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,211COP 4.3M
$9,361₪26.9K
-87.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Harish
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$512COP 1.8M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
3.5
283.71%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026
Last update for Harish: May 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $1,007 in Harish. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $88.0 in Harish for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $297 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 Harish: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Harish cheaper than Medellin?
Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 118% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,519 in Medellin and $3,318 in Harish 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.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Harish?
Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $1,007 in Harish. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 73% less than in Harish. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $833 in Harish. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Medellin or Harish?
At $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,212 in Harish, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Harish. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Medellin or Harish more family-friendly?
For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Harish, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Harish?
Safety-wise, Medellin and Harish are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 118% less than in Harish. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.