Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hatillo

For one person, living is cheaper in Hatillo: $1,314 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Medellin outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Medellin, Colombia
Hatillo, Puerto Rico
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Hatillo
🇵🇷 Puerto Rico
$1,314
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Hatillo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Hatillo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,639 in Medellin versus $1,314 in Hatillo.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Hatillo $1,314

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,413 in Medellin versus $2,070 in Hatillo.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Hatillo $2,070

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,186 in Medellin versus $2,826 in Hatillo.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Hatillo $2,826

Living in Medellin is roughly 25% more expensive than in Hatillo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 20% above, Hatillo is 3% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Hatillo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 25.4K
$18.92 $18.92
-57.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 148.0K
$82.3 $82.3
-42.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 29.9K
$9.03 $9.03
5.20%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,485
$3.66 $3.66
-17.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,660
$1.93 $1.93
-6.74%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,443
$1.23 $1.23
14.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 9,990
$2.92 $2.92
8.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.1K
$5.06 $5.06
13.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Hatillo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,751
$2.12 $2.12
-28.77%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,480
$3.54 $3.54
-32.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,573
$2.31 $2.31
-23.38%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,093
$7.28 $7.28
-60.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.1K
$12.42 $12.42
-17.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.1K
$9.38 $9.38
5.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 44.0K
$13.37 $13.37
4.64%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.5K
$5.12 $5.12
-22.46%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 4,883
$2.55 $2.55
-39.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,867
$4.78 $4.78
-54.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,870
$4.73 $4.73
-53.91%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,174
$3.76 $3.76
-47.87%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,000
$3.95 $3.95
-59.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,604
$3.41 $3.41
-66.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,911
$1.58 $1.58
-21.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.5K
$11.91 $11.91
-66.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 43.0K
$15.49 $15.49
-11.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,221
$3.03 $3.03
-45.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,103
$3.97 $3.97
-43.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Hatillo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,674
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 243.4K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 3,989
$2.43 $2.43
-47.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,442
$1.53 $1.53
33.99%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 26.9K
$41.87 $41.87
-79.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,237
$1.24 $1.24
8.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 107.2M
$34.6K $34.6K
-1.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 109.1M
$27.4K $27.4K
26.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Hatillo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 533.7K
$323 $323
-47.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 42.6K
$68.9 $68.9
-80.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 88.3K
$69.6 $69.6
-59.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Hatillo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 137.5K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 54.1K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 21.7K
$10.66 $10.66
-35.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Hatillo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.5M
$835 $835
-4.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 28.7M
$12.6K $12.6K
-27.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Hatillo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 266.5K
$56.4 $56.4
50.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 182.3K
$60.1 $60.1
-3.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 424.6K
$109 $109
23.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 307.9K
$113 $113
-13.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Hatillo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.8M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.0M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.4M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.2M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.1M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.0M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Hatillo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
6.55
67.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Hatillo: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Hatillo
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Hatillo
$409 37.7% $112
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Hatillo
$462 119% $250
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Hatillo
$260 53.1% $90
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Hatillo
$152 9.8% $17
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Hatillo
$10 * 89.2% $83
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Hatillo
$21 * 62.9% $36

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47 in Medellin vs $82 in Hatillo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $409 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇵🇷 Hatillo
🕒 Local time
16:14 4:14 PM
17:14 5:14 PM
1 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
5,622
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,502 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Hatillo 1,620 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Hatillo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Hatillo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hatillo cheaper than Medellin?
Hatillo is about 20% cheaper overall, especially in transport, leisure, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $2,459 in Medellin and $1,971 in Hatillo 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.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Hatillo?
Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 27% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Hatillo?
All in, you’ll spend $1,639 per month in Medellin versus $1,314 in Hatillo – Hatillo is about 20% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Hatillo?
At $1,314 in Hatillo versus $1,639 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Hatillo but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Hatillo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in Hatillo?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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