Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hermanus Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hermanus

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,156 in Hermanus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,824 in Hermanus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $2,492 in Hermanus.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 12% less than in Hermanus, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Hermanus 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$14.09 R 228

-57.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$32.39 R 524

2.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.73 R 76.5

52.85%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.03 R 32.86

-19.70%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.22 R 19.75

-10.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.75 R 12.18

-2.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.20 R 35.53

-20.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.54 R 41.01

27.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.12 R 18.07

-6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.00 R 16.23

29.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.64 R 26.53

-19.51%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.51 R 40.60

-9.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.51 R 121

-42.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.46 R 72.2

31.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$6.87 R 111

25.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.60 R 25.80

40.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.46 R 23.65

-26.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.49 R 24.11

2.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.58 R 25.50

-10.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.37 R 22.07

-14.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.18 R 19.15

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.04 R 16.88

-14.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.91 R 14.68

-1.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.87 R 46.37

-21.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$7.16 R 116

54.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.38 R 22.37

-17.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.72 R 27.80

38.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.62 R 26.27

-48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.10 R 17.75

28.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.90 R 14.48

111.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$3.92 R 63.3

97.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.25 R 20.14

-19.20%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$21.3K R 344.8K

-17.57%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$24.0K R 387.8K

10.46%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$127 R 2,047

-33.91%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$34.50 R 558

-72.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$52.2 R 844

-53.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$17.59 R 284

43.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$9.58 R 155

99.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.62 R 74.8

-11.26%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$200 R 3,229

56.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,421 R 71.5K

35.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$50.4 R 815

15.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$32.76 R 530

-0.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$88.8 R 1,436

12.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$80.3 R 1,298

35.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$368 R 5,955

30.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$418 R 6,750

-9.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$687 R 11.1K

21.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$924 R 14.9K

-21.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$886 R 14.3K

220.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$701 R 11.3K

74.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.51

16.68%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Hermanus: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $368 in Hermanus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $32.00 in Hermanus for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $180 per month, with Hermanus cheaper across the board.

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 Hermanus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $1,734 in Hermanus to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Medellin versus $368 in Hermanus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Hermanus pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $1,156 in Hermanus – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,156 in Hermanus, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Hermanus. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Hermanus, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Hermanus are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Hermanus. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.