Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hato Mayor del Rey Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hato Mayor del Rey

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $702 in Hato Mayor del Rey, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,135 in Hato Mayor del Rey, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,568 in Hato Mayor del Rey, rent included.

Medellin costs about 45% more than Hato Mayor del Rey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Hato Mayor del Rey are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Hato Mayor del Rey 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.72 DOP 160

118.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$26.76 DOP 1,567

24.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.49 DOP 380

11.40%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$0.81 DOP 47.61

101.23%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.53 DOP 31.00

105.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.48 DOP 28.37

52.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.50 DOP 147

-30.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.43 DOP 201

-5.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.12 DOP 65.4

-6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.71 DOP 100

-24.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.51 DOP 88.2

-12.58%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.25 DOP 73.0

81.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.06 DOP 414

-38.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.20 DOP 363

-5.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$11.05 DOP 647

-22.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.23 DOP 189

-30.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.85 DOP 49.57

25.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.99 DOP 175

-49.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.91 DOP 112

-25.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.48 DOP 145

-52.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.35 DOP 138

-50.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.10 DOP 64.3

-19.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.97 DOP 56.8

-7.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$5.66 DOP 332

-60.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$17.05 DOP 999

-35.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.71 DOP 159

-57.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.23 DOP 189

-26.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$3.49 DOP 204

-59.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.22 DOP 130

-14.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$6.10 DOP 357

27.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.28 DOP 74.9

-21.09%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

-34.76%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$31.3K DOP 1.8M

-15.44%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$50.8 DOP 2,978

64.63%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$22.60 DOP 1,324

-58.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$36.55 DOP 2,141

-34.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$33.73 DOP 1,976

-24.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.95 DOP 407

-41.01%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$266 DOP 15.6K

17.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$8,047 DOP 471.4K

-25.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$60.7 DOP 3,555

-4.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$51.2 DOP 3,002

-36.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$96.0 DOP 5,625

3.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$116 DOP 6,778

-6.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$144 DOP 8,439

234.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$64.2 DOP 3,758

491.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$301 DOP 17.6K

178.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$143 DOP 8,385

405.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

12.9

4.11%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Hato Mayor del Rey: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $144 in Hato Mayor del Rey. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in Hato Mayor del Rey. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $250 in Hato Mayor del Rey – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Hato Mayor del Rey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 45%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,053 in Hato Mayor del Rey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $27.00 in Hato Mayor del Rey. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 32% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Hato Mayor del Rey, where all-in costs run around $702, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Hato Mayor del Rey it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hato Mayor del Rey – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Hato Mayor del Rey. 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.