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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $700 in Hato Mayor del Rey, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,130 in Hato Mayor del Rey, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,560 in Hato Mayor del Rey, rent included.

Medellin costs about 48% 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 23% lower, Hato Mayor del Rey 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.78 DOP 164

112.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$27.52 DOP 1,626

19.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.45 DOP 381

11.63%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$0.88 DOP 52.2

93.18%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.49 DOP 28.97

124.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.48 DOP 28.42

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.54 DOP 150

-34.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.37 DOP 199

-8.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.11 DOP 65.6

-4.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.81 DOP 107

-30.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.56 DOP 91.9

-10.90%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.20 DOP 70.7

88.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$6.95 DOP 411

-37.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.37 DOP 377

-8.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$11.05 DOP 653

-20.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.29 DOP 195

-31.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.85 DOP 50.3

27.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.87 DOP 169

-46.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.99 DOP 118

-31.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.56 DOP 151

-55.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.37 DOP 140

-52.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.10 DOP 65.0

-22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.94 DOP 55.6

-3.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$5.86 DOP 346

-60.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$11.33 DOP 670

-1.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.77 DOP 164

-57.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.24 DOP 191

-26.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$3.44 DOP 203

-58.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$2.20 DOP 130

-13.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$6.07 DOP 358

32.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.32 DOP 78.0

-28.79%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$26.6K DOP 1.6M

-32.70%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$32.3K DOP 1.9M

-17.09%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$49.98 DOP 2,953

67.99%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$22.93 DOP 1,355

-58.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$36.05 DOP 2,130

-32.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$34.19 DOP 2,020

-24.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.97 DOP 412

-43.76%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$270 DOP 16.0K

13.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$8,187 DOP 483.7K

-27.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$59.3 DOP 3,505

-2.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$51.6 DOP 3,049

-38.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$96.9 DOP 5,726

3.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$115 DOP 6,818

-7.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$144 DOP 8,482

239.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$64.8 DOP 3,826

468.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$297 DOP 17.6K

177.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$146 DOP 8,629

390.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Hato Mayor del Rey: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 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 $28.00 in Hato Mayor del Rey. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $240 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 48%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,050 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 $28.00 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 27% 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 $700, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.