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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,627 in Hella, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $2,850 in Hella, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $4,074 in Hella, rent included.

Medellin is about 38% cheaper than Hella, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% below the global median, while Hella is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$26.50 ISK 3,276

-77.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$147 ISK 18.2K

-77.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$22.27 ISK 2,753

-66.64%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$6.01 ISK 743

-72.55%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$3.26 ISK 403

-66.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$2.52 ISK 312

-69.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$12.63 ISK 1,561

-86.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$11.04 ISK 1,365

-71.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.94 ISK 240

-43.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$4.30 ISK 532

-70.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$3.74 ISK 462

-63.10%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$6.40 ISK 791

-65.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$18.20 ISK 2,250

-75.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$24.23 ISK 2,995

-76.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$41.93 ISK 5,183

-78.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.22 ISK 398

-27.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.54 ISK 314

-58.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$3.04 ISK 375

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$4.95 ISK 612

-72.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$3.55 ISK 439

-68.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.31 ISK 286

-49.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$3.13 ISK 387

-71.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.95 ISK 241

-53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$13.41 ISK 1,658

-83.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$22.81 ISK 2,820

-46.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$3.55 ISK 439

-66.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$3.36 ISK 416

-26.19%

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

$6.49 ISK 803

-78.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$2.61 ISK 323

-25.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$84.9 ISK 10.5K

-90.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$2.47 ISK 305

-59.92%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$48.2K ISK 6.0M

-63.47%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$52.6K ISK 6.5M

-49.10%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$88.7 ISK 11.0K

-6.40%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$27.34 ISK 3,380

-64.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$83.8 ISK 10.4K

-71.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$17.86 ISK 2,208

-77.88%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$317 ISK 39.1K

-0.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$30.3K ISK 3.7M

-80.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$140 ISK 17.4K

-57.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$62.7 ISK 7,748

-49.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$181 ISK 22.4K

-43.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$261 ISK 32.2K

-58.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

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

9.63

39.46%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Hella: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $147 in Hella. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $594 – 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: $1,003 in Medellin, $1,627 in Hella – roughly 62% apart. Hella costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $2,440 in Hella. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $1,627 in Hella. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Medellin and $317 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 $1,003, than in Hella at $1,627. 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 $1,003 in Medellin to $1,627 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.