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 $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $706 in Hato Mayor del Rey, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,139 in Hato Mayor del Rey, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,572 in Hato Mayor del Rey, rent included.

Medellin costs about 42% 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 25% lower, Hato Mayor del Rey 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.74 DOP 159

115.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$27.43 DOP 1,594

20.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.47 DOP 376

14.84%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$0.81 DOP 47.04

103.70%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.52 DOP 30.26

111.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.45 DOP 26.30

73.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.60 DOP 151

-33.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.42 DOP 199

-7.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.08 DOP 62.9

1.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.81 DOP 105

-30.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.54 DOP 89.6

-10.39%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.20 DOP 69.9

81.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.99 DOP 406

-35.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.39 DOP 371

-9.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$11.07 DOP 643

-18.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.28 DOP 191

-29.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.93 DOP 54.2

13.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$3.00 DOP 174

-49.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.92 DOP 112

-29.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.46 DOP 143

-54.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.39 DOP 139

-51.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.09 DOP 63.1

-17.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.90 DOP 52.1

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$5.88 DOP 342

-62.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$17.31 DOP 1,006

-29.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.66 DOP 155

-55.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$3.25 DOP 189

-23.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$3.37 DOP 196

-57.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$2.13 DOP 124

-8.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$5.90 DOP 343

33.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.33 DOP 77.4

-25.56%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$26.1K DOP 1.5M

-32.68%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$31.4K DOP 1.8M

-14.66%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$51.3 DOP 2,982

61.75%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$22.73 DOP 1,321

-57.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$35.52 DOP 2,064

-33.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$34.45 DOP 2,002

-26.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.93 DOP 403

-43.00%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$270 DOP 15.7K

17.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$8,095 DOP 470.4K

-26.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$60.8 DOP 3,532

-1.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$50.8 DOP 2,949

-37.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$96.3 DOP 5,595

5.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$118 DOP 6,851

-8.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$145 DOP 8,428

227.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$63.4 DOP 3,684

489.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$298 DOP 17.3K

185.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$145 DOP 8,412

397.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Hato Mayor del Rey: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $145 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 – $193 in Medellin vs $251 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 42%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,059 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 30% 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 $706, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.