Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Harlingen, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Harlingen, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $1,476 in Harlingen, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $1,902 in Harlingen, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $2,328 in Harlingen, TX.

Living in Medellin is roughly 11% more expensive than in Harlingen, TX, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 19% above, Harlingen, TX 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$12.27 $12.27

-34.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.9K

$46.09 $46.09

4.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.1K

$9.03 $9.03

4.32%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,056

$4.98 $4.98

-40.96%

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

$1.86 COP 5,745

$1.96 $1.96

-5.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,487

$2.04 $2.04

-28.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,899

$6.02 $6.02

-46.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$4.43 $4.43

28.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,436

$0.96 $0.96

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,401

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,237

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,911

$3.66 $3.66

-21.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.0K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.8K

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,886

$1.28 $1.28

23.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,635

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,090

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,179

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,654

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,707

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,953

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,265

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,454

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,840

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 240.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,023

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,692

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,179

$0.98 $0.98

38.78%

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

$27.5K COP 84.7M

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

$36.5K COP 112.6M

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

$169 COP 520.1K

$198 $198

-14.73%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$98.2 $98.2

-86.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.3K

$49.62 $49.62

-42.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.1K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 269.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 183.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 428.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$852 $852

25.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$877 $877

-25.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,379 $1,379

39.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$1,042 $1,042

0.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$1,826 $1,826

125.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,873 $1,873

-9.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$4,167 $4,167

-84.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Harlingen, TX: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,071 in Medellin and $852 in Harlingen, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Harlingen, TX pays 536% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $46.00 in Harlingen, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $32.00 per month, with Harlingen, TX 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 Harlingen, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Harlingen, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Harlingen, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 536% lower in Harlingen, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,071 in Medellin versus $852 in Harlingen, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,641 per month in Medellin versus $1,476 in Harlingen, TX – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 840% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,476 in Harlingen, TX versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Harlingen, TX but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Harlingen, TX the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Harlingen, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,476 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Harlingen, TX hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Harlingen, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.