Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hastings Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hastings

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $1,812 in Hastings, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $2,677 in Hastings, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $3,541 in Hastings, rent included.

Medellin is about 7% cheaper than Hastings, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Hastings sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Hastings by 32%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$11.95 NZ$20.08

-33.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$58.3 NZ$97.9

-23.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$9.61 NZ$16.14

-3.33%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$3.39 NZ$5.70

-14.45%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$1.90 NZ$3.18

-4.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$1.45 NZ$2.43

6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$4.58 NZ$7.69

-29.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$6.02 NZ$10.11

-2.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.87 NZ$3.14

-26.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$2.31 NZ$3.88

6.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.82 NZ$3.05

-17.03%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$5.72 NZ$9.61

-51.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$7.85 NZ$13.18

15.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$10.06 NZ$16.89

5.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$12.42 NZ$20.86

17.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$2.70 NZ$4.54

47.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$2.04 NZ$3.43

-32.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$3.10 NZ$5.21

-25.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$3.47 NZ$5.83

-41.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.84 NZ$3.08

13.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.10 NZ$1.85

48.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.52 NZ$2.56

-28.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$1.00 NZ$1.68

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$18.66 NZ$31.34

-78.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$9.72 NZ$16.32

38.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$3.31 NZ$5.55

-51.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$3.03 NZ$5.09

-0.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$2.86 NZ$4.81

-58.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$86.6 NZ$145

-7.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$1.89 NZ$3.18

-14.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$1.90 NZ$3.20

12.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$35.32 NZ$59.3

-75.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.59 NZ$2.66

-15.09%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$26.1K NZ$43.9K

8.33%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$23.4K NZ$39.3K

52.32%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$202 NZ$339

-24.90%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$32.70 NZ$54.9

-59.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$55.1 NZ$92.5

-41.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$29.07 NZ$48.82

59.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$10.55 NZ$17.72

-39.05%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$1,131 NZ$1,900

-26.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$13.5K NZ$22.6K

-34.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$49.19 NZ$82.6

81.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$29.30 NZ$49.21

88.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$105 NZ$176

30.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$94.5 NZ$159

15.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$857 NZ$1,440

11.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$744 NZ$1,250

-10.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$1,642 NZ$2,757

23.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$1,190 NZ$1,998

-3.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$5,099 NZ$8,563

-27.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$3,021 NZ$5,073

-47.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$1,643 NZ$2,758

-61.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

5.39

93.51%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Hastings: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $857 in Hastings. 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 163% higher in Hastings, 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $58.0 in Hastings. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $306 – making Medellin 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 Hastings: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hastings costs about 7% more than Medellin, 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $2,718 in Hastings. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 3% more in Hastings, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin and $58.0 in Hastings. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,687, than in Hastings at $1,812. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hastings it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,687 versus $1,812 in Hastings. 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hastings makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.