Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hella Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hella

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,619 in Hella, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,788 in Hella, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $3,958 in Hella, rent included.

Medellin is about 37% cheaper than Hella, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Hella is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$27.32 ISK 3,401

-78.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$144 ISK 18.0K

-76.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$22.68 ISK 2,823

-68.12%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$6.15 ISK 765

-73.50%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$3.35 ISK 417

-67.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$2.54 ISK 316

-71.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$12.72 ISK 1,583

-86.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$11.15 ISK 1,388

-71.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.93 ISK 241

-45.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$4.19 ISK 522

-69.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$3.67 ISK 457

-64.03%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$6.31 ISK 786

-64.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$18.19 ISK 2,265

-76.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$24.53 ISK 3,053

-76.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$41.71 ISK 5,193

-79.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.36 ISK 418

-33.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.51 ISK 312

-57.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$3.04 ISK 378

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$4.91 ISK 611

-71.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$3.69 ISK 459

-68.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.42 ISK 301

-51.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$3.19 ISK 397

-72.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.99 ISK 247

-54.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$13.60 ISK 1,693

-83.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$23.47 ISK 2,922

-52.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$3.72 ISK 463

-69.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.34 ISK 415

-28.74%

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

$6.24 ISK 777

-77.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.66 ISK 331

-28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$85.8 ISK 10.7K

-90.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$2.43 ISK 302

-58.44%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$47.5K ISK 5.9M

-62.99%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$51.3K ISK 6.4M

-48.37%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$89.4 ISK 11.1K

-6.35%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$27.68 ISK 3,446

-65.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$85.5 ISK 10.6K

-71.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$17.43 ISK 2,170

-76.48%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$316 ISK 39.4K

-1.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$29.9K ISK 3.7M

-79.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$141 ISK 17.5K

-58.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$61.1 ISK 7,609

-46.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$186 ISK 23.1K

-46.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$271 ISK 33.8K

-59.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

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

9.63

39.46%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Hella: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $144 in Hella. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $597 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Hella: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,017 in Medellin, $1,619 in Hella – roughly 59% apart. Hella costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $2,428 in Hella. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $1,619 in Hella. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $316 in Hella. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Hella at $1,619. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hella it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,017 in Medellin to $1,619 in Hella. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hella makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.