Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Havana Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Havana

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $875 in Havana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,419 in Havana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,964 in Havana.

Living in Medellin is roughly 92% more expensive than in Havana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Havana is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 24.9K

$3.76 CUP 90.3

113.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 148.7K

$27.33 CUP 656

75.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.7K

$4.86 CUP 117

103.50%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,725

$1.14 CUP 27.31

174.56%

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

$1.91 COP 5,929

$1.69 CUP 40.53

13.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,692

$0.98 CUP 23.54

54.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,705

$1.64 CUP 39.26

90.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.01 CUP 48.26

186.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,490

$3.72 CUP 89.2

-61.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,726

$1.45 CUP 34.79

71.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,511

$2.11 CUP 50.7

-16.11%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,196

$3.65 CUP 87.7

-18.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.3K

$4.57 CUP 110

120.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.4K

$4.66 CUP 112

117.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.4K

$8.24 CUP 198

73.54%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$6.11 CUP 147

-32.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 4,997

$1.10 CUP 26.44

46.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 6,977

$4.02 CUP 96.6

-44.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 6,998

$2.34 CUP 56.1

-3.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,348

$3.85 CUP 92.4

-47.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,770

$3.96 CUP 95.1

-61.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,636

$0.76 CUP 18.26

53.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,060

$1.46 CUP 35.11

-10.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.1K

$2.02 CUP 48.44

93.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.5K

$3.96 CUP 95.1

253.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,416

$1.60 CUP 38.49

8.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,918

$2.12 CUP 51.0

35.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,776

$1.29 CUP 30.87

-5.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 250.1K

$22.54 CUP 541

257.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,067

$2.61 CUP 62.7

-49.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,796

$0.43 CUP 10.29

409.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.1K

$20.15 CUP 484

-56.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,241

$1.31 CUP 31.34

4.58%

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

$27.8K COP 86.5M

$60.4K CUP 1.4M

-53.90%

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

$35.8K COP 111.2M

$59.3K CUP 1.4M

-39.70%

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

$177 COP 550.9K

$47.55 CUP 1,141

272.87%

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

$13.88 COP 43.1K

$38.24 CUP 918

-63.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.4K

$91.2 CUP 2,188

-67.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 139.5K

$19.37 CUP 465

131.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.2K

$13.03 CUP 313

31.39%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.6K

$0.89 CUP 21.28

647.19%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$114 CUP 2,739

612.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.5M

$7,139 CUP 171.3K

28.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 278.1K

$36.35 CUP 872

146.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 183.2K

$36.29 CUP 871

62.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 429.4K

$68.3 CUP 1,639

102.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 317.3K

$56.6 CUP 1,358

80.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$254 CUP 6,088

318.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$215 CUP 5,169

207.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$934 CUP 22.4K

102.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$544 CUP 13.1K

88.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.0M

$336 CUP 8,074

1143.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$400 CUP 9,601

318.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$32.71 CUP 785

1971.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.1

20.22%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Havana: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $254 in Havana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 1972% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $27.00 in Havana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $262 per month, with Havana cheaper across the board.

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 Havana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Havana differ by about 92% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $875 including rent). Havana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1972% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,062 in Medellin versus $254 in Havana. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Havana – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $875 in Havana – a 92% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $875 in Havana versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Havana but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Havana the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Havana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 92% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.