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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,694 in Hella, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,923 in Hella, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $4,152 in Hella, rent included.

Medellin is about 1% cheaper than Hella, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Hella sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Hella by 24%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$29.93 ISK 3,645

-73.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$137 ISK 16.6K

-64.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$26.99 ISK 3,287

-63.36%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$6.87 ISK 837

-54.44%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$3.25 ISK 396

-41.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$3.21 ISK 392

-52.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$13.88 ISK 1,690

-77.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$12.29 ISK 1,497

-53.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.12 ISK 259

-32.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$4.32 ISK 526

-42.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$3.69 ISK 450

-52.03%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$7.01 ISK 854

-57.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$21.12 ISK 2,573

-52.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$24.72 ISK 3,011

-59.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$42.94 ISK 5,230

-66.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.35 ISK 408

23.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.92 ISK 356

-44.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$3.16 ISK 385

-28.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$6.25 ISK 762

-64.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$4.13 ISK 504

-50.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.66 ISK 202

-7.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$3.81 ISK 465

-69.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.76 ISK 214

-25.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$13.87 ISK 1,690

-71.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$24.10 ISK 2,936

-41.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$3.79 ISK 462

-54.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$3.37 ISK 410

-14.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$6.79 ISK 827

-80.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$2.83 ISK 345

-22.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$74.9 ISK 9,118

-88.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$2.02 ISK 246

-32.18%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$50.8K ISK 6.2M

-45.20%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$54.3K ISK 6.6M

-34.15%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$88.2 ISK 10.7K

101.04%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$32.75 ISK 3,989

-57.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$83.8 ISK 10.2K

-64.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$19.68 ISK 2,396

-66.21%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$1,190 ISK 144.9K

-31.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$30.6K ISK 3.7M

-70.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$161 ISK 19.6K

-44.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$67.1 ISK 8,170

-12.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$182 ISK 22.1K

-24.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$252 ISK 30.6K

-59.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

8.88

23.20%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Hella: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $137 in Hella. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $627 – 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: $1,681 in Medellin, $1,694 in Hella – roughly 1% apart. Hella costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $2,541 in Hella. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $1,694 in Hella. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $1,190 in Hella. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Hella at $1,694. 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 $1,681 in Medellin to $1,694 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.