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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,166 in Hermanus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,815 in Hermanus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,463 in Hermanus.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 14% less than in Hermanus, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Hermanus 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$14.09 R 235

-58.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$32.15 R 536

2.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$4.79 R 79.8

55.11%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$2.04 R 34.03

-19.12%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$1.17 R 19.47

-5.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.75 R 12.56

4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$2.18 R 36.38

-21.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$2.50 R 41.63

27.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.12 R 18.58

-1.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$1.06 R 17.62

18.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.62 R 26.93

-14.81%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$2.43 R 40.46

-10.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$7.84 R 131

-42.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$4.60 R 76.6

25.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$6.65 R 111

34.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$1.68 R 28.03

38.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.54 R 25.66

-31.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.48 R 24.69

2.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.63 R 27.17

-16.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$1.37 R 22.80

-17.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.18 R 19.61

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$1.09 R 18.10

-17.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.90 R 15.05

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$2.74 R 45.68

-18.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$7.03 R 117

72.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.39 R 23.14

-14.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$1.66 R 27.67

49.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$1.61 R 26.81

-47.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$1.10 R 18.38

29.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.88 R 14.69

121.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$4.00 R 66.6

97.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.22 R 20.39

-18.85%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$21.2K R 352.7K

-16.86%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$24.2K R 403.8K

10.54%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$129 R 2,146

-35.57%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$34.98 R 583

-72.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$52.9 R 881

-55.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$17.52 R 292

44.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$9.77 R 163

95.50%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$4.81 R 80.1

-17.88%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$196 R 3,270

60.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$4,384 R 73.0K

36.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$50.0 R 833

19.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$32.66 R 544

-2.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$89.5 R 1,490

13.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$80.0 R 1,332

34.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$361 R 6,012

31.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$427 R 7,117

-12.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$694 R 11.6K

22.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$907 R 15.1K

-20.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$858 R 14.3K

280.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$650 R 10.8K

121.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Hermanus: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $361 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 $193 vs $182 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 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $1,749 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: $475 in Medellin versus $361 in Hermanus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Hermanus pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $1,166 in Hermanus – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,166 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 16% less than in Hermanus. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.