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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,637 in Hella, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $2,843 in Hella, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $4,048 in Hella, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Hella is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$27.19 ISK 3,329

-78.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$147 ISK 17.9K

-77.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$22.26 ISK 2,726

-67.65%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$6.27 ISK 768

-72.89%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$3.29 ISK 402

-66.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$2.50 ISK 306

-71.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$12.92 ISK 1,582

-87.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$11.32 ISK 1,386

-72.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.93 ISK 237

-45.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$4.36 ISK 534

-71.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$3.61 ISK 442

-61.50%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$6.31 ISK 773

-64.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$17.91 ISK 2,193

-75.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$23.63 ISK 2,893

-75.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$42.77 ISK 5,237

-79.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.24 ISK 396

-30.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.42 ISK 296

-55.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.11 ISK 381

-50.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$4.87 ISK 596

-71.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$3.64 ISK 446

-68.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.39 ISK 293

-53.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$3.07 ISK 376

-72.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.93 ISK 236

-52.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$13.41 ISK 1,642

-82.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$23.12 ISK 2,831

-51.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$3.64 ISK 445

-67.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.34 ISK 409

-29.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$6.51 ISK 798

-77.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$2.52 ISK 308

-24.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$86.3 ISK 10.6K

-90.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$2.57 ISK 314

-63.42%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$48.2K ISK 5.9M

-62.81%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$52.7K ISK 6.5M

-49.21%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$89.3 ISK 10.9K

-5.99%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$27.34 ISK 3,347

-64.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$87.0 ISK 10.6K

-72.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$17.63 ISK 2,159

-77.77%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$318 ISK 38.9K

-3.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$30.6K ISK 3.7M

-80.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$141 ISK 17.3K

-58.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$60.6 ISK 7,420

-47.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$182 ISK 22.3K

-45.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$262 ISK 32.1K

-59.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Hella: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $147 in Hella. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $593 – 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: $1,034 in Medellin, $1,637 in Hella – roughly 58% apart. Hella costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $2,456 in Hella. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $1,637 in Hella. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $318 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 $1,034, than in Hella at $1,637. 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 $1,034 in Medellin to $1,637 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.