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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $976 in Havana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,540 in Havana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $2,104 in Havana.

Living in Medellin is roughly 6% more expensive than in Havana, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Havana 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.0K

$3.71 CUP 89.0

66.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.0K

$29.50 CUP 708

10.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.67 CUP 160

10.04%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,592

$1.18 CUP 28.38

45.76%

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

$1.05 COP 3,416

$2.26 CUP 54.1

-53.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,511

$1.46 CUP 35.04

-47.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,480

$2.05 CUP 49.10

-17.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.56 CUP 61.3

23.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,418

$3.27 CUP 78.5

-67.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,230

$1.05 CUP 25.16

23.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,538

$2.41 CUP 57.9

-41.91%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,037

$3.64 CUP 87.4

-40.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$5.05 CUP 121

-13.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.31 CUP 127

10.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.49 CUP 228

-8.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,415

$4.89 CUP 117

-53.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,599

$1.36 CUP 32.72

-18.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,976

$2.54 CUP 61.0

-39.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,405

$1.72 CUP 41.33

-21.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,669

$2.83 CUP 67.9

-60.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,687

$2.90 CUP 69.6

-61.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,749

$0.98 CUP 23.55

-13.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,971

$1.13 CUP 27.18

-19.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,619

$4.08 CUP 97.9

-42.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.2K

$4.04 CUP 97.0

206.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,904

$2.02 CUP 48.41

-40.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,094

$2.00 CUP 47.96

24.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,724

$1.27 CUP 30.46

-33.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 131.9K

$25.17 CUP 604

61.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,617

$3.15 CUP 75.5

-54.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,227

$0.51 CUP 12.34

276.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$14.87 CUP 357

-48.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,219

$1.22 CUP 29.36

-18.85%

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

$18.0K COP 58.6M

$58.8K CUP 1.4M

-69.35%

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

$26.6K COP 86.6M

$67.6K CUP 1.6M

-60.58%

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

$80.8 COP 262.7K

$37.01 CUP 888

118.35%

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

$9.95 COP 32.3K

$40.52 CUP 972

-75.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.6K

$76.1 CUP 1,827

-68.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.5K

$41.10 CUP 986

-38.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$6.06 CUP 145

216.01%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$0.82 CUP 19.68

385.37%

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

$305 COP 992.2K

$111 CUP 2,666

174.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$10.0K CUP 240.3K

-39.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.0K

$39.17 CUP 940

48.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.7K

$33.79 CUP 811

-4.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.5K

$75.8 CUP 1,818

32.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.3K

$84.3 CUP 2,023

27.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.5M

$365 CUP 8,750

30.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$287 CUP 6,893

30.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,040 CUP 25.0K

-18.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$601 CUP 14.4K

21.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$327 CUP 7,853

882.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$405 CUP 9,718

238.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$31.89 CUP 765

1834.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.43

80.75%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Havana: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $365 in Havana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 1834% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $30.00 in Havana. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $243, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 6% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $976 including rent). Havana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1834% 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: $477 in Medellin versus $365 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 $30.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $976 in Havana – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $976 in Havana versus $1,031 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 6% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.