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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,130 in Hermanus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,789 in Hermanus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $2,448 in Hermanus.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 8% less than in Hermanus, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Hermanus 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$13.87 R 233

-57.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$33.40 R 560

-1.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.75 R 79.7

51.58%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.10 R 35.29

-19.05%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.18 R 19.86

-6.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.77 R 12.89

-6.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.19 R 36.72

-23.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.59 R 43.49

19.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.11 R 18.60

-4.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.00 R 16.83

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.56 R 26.22

-10.90%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.45 R 41.16

-7.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.68 R 129

-43.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.48 R 75.2

30.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$6.78 R 114

30.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.68 R 28.26

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.54 R 25.82

-29.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.53 R 25.64

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.64 R 27.54

-16.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.38 R 23.06

-18.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.19 R 19.96

-5.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.09 R 18.20

-22.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.89 R 14.99

2.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.82 R 47.35

-17.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$7.04 R 118

58.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.38 R 23.18

-13.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.64 R 27.51

44.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$1.67 R 27.93

-52.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.14 R 19.12

26.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.95 R 15.94

101.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$3.92 R 65.8

104.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.23 R 20.70

-23.58%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$21.1K R 354.3K

-15.17%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$23.6K R 395.6K

13.57%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$128 R 2,150

-34.50%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$35.70 R 599

-73.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$52.7 R 883

-54.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$17.75 R 298

45.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$9.69 R 163

96.49%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.86 R 81.5

-19.34%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$200 R 3,350

53.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,273 R 71.7K

38.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$51.4 R 861

12.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$32.60 R 547

-2.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$90.0 R 1,509

11.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$78.6 R 1,318

36.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$360 R 6,042

35.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$415 R 6,964

-11.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$682 R 11.4K

21.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$919 R 15.4K

-22.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$781 R 13.1K

274.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$691 R 11.6K

103.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Hermanus: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $360 in Hermanus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $33.00 in Hermanus. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $181, with Hermanus cheaper for home cooking.

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 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $1,694 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: $487 in Medellin versus $360 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 $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $1,130 in Hermanus – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,130 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 9% less than in Hermanus. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.