Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hillcrest Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hillcrest

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,320 in Hillcrest, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,876 in Hillcrest, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,431 in Hillcrest, rent included.

Medellin is about 24% cheaper than Hillcrest, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Hillcrest are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Hillcrest 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$7.78 R 128

-24.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$28.38 R 467

16.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$5.06 R 83.3

46.84%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.91 R 31.48

-13.61%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.87 R 14.25

26.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.67 R 11.10

16.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.00 R 32.96

-14.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.22 R 36.60

43.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.88 R 14.46

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.58 R 9.48

117.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.19 R 19.65

15.97%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.11 R 34.79

3.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$7.23 R 119

-37.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.85 R 63.4

50.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$6.19 R 102

44.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.44 R 23.77

61.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.11 R 18.22

-4.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.33 R 21.87

14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.36 R 22.38

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.30 R 21.43

-13.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.21 R 19.94

-3.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.01 R 16.65

-10.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.87 R 14.39

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.87 R 47.23

-22.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$4.85 R 79.8

149.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.47 R 24.22

-19.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.77 R 29.15

40.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$1.62 R 26.59

-47.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.65 R 27.22

-13.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.59 R 9.71

230.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$6.75 R 111

16.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.34 R 22.01

-26.12%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$20.4K R 335.5K

-13.63%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$24.4K R 402.0K

9.74%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$143 R 2,359

-42.08%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$29.41 R 484

-67.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$33.35 R 549

-29.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$30.76 R 506

-17.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.76 R 111

-41.57%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$207 R 3,406

52.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,558 R 75.0K

31.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$42.34 R 697

41.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$30.39 R 500

4.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$95.1 R 1,565

6.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$73.5 R 1,210

46.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$361 R 5,944

31.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$679 R 11.2K

-44.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$684 R 11.3K

24.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$1,127 R 18.5K

-36.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$904 R 14.9K

261.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$695 R 11.4K

107.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

12.01

11.82%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Hillcrest: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $361 in Hillcrest. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $28.00 in Hillcrest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $155 – making Hillcrest 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 Hillcrest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,003 in Medellin, $1,320 in Hillcrest – roughly 32% apart. Hillcrest costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,980 in Hillcrest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $28.00 in Hillcrest. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% cheaper in Hillcrest – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Hillcrest at $1,320. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hillcrest 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 $1,320 in Hillcrest. 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, Hillcrest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.