Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ho Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ho

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $704 in Ho.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $1,184 in Ho.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $1,664 in Ho.

Living in Medellin is roughly 133% more expensive than in Ho, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Ho is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$8.09 GHS 92.4

-0.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$53.0 GHS 605

-8.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$10.70 GHS 122

-11.96%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$4.56 GHS 52.1

-35.53%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.63 GHS 18.60

14.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.48 GHS 5.52

204.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$1.85 GHS 21.11

73.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$2.28 GHS 26.02

150.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$3.81 GHS 43.51

-62.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.75 GHS 19.94

37.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$3.11 GHS 35.57

-45.34%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.75 GHS 31.38

5.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$12.21 GHS 139

-17.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$7.32 GHS 83.6

36.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$10.02 GHS 114

41.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$3.77 GHS 43.07

5.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.50 GHS 17.13

5.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.79 GHS 20.44

20.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$3.68 GHS 42.02

-37.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$2.79 GHS 31.85

-28.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.72 GHS 31.02

-44.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.79 GHS 8.99

51.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.62 GHS 7.10

106.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$2.62 GHS 29.97

46.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$7.42 GHS 84.7

88.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.31 GHS 15.01

30.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.39 GHS 27.32

14.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$1.77 GHS 20.19

-25.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.29 GHS 14.77

68.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$4.53 GHS 51.8

83.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.36 GHS 15.49

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$7,948 GHS 90.8K

245.65%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$9,946 GHS 113.6K

267.36%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$75.5 GHS 862

123.53%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$19.73 GHS 225

-31.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$44.14 GHS 504

-35.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$13.30 GHS 152

-50.00%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$465 GHS 5,315

72.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$18.3K GHS 208.9K

-49.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$14.58 GHS 166

499.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$19.31 GHS 221

207.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$37.50 GHS 428

270.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$53.1 GHS 607

92.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

26.75

-59.10%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ho: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $53.0 in Ho. Groceries flip the comparison at $300 vs $286, with Ho 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 Ho: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Ho differ by about 133% in total monthly costs ($1,641 vs $704 including rent). Ho is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,462 in Medellin and $1,056 in Ho 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.

Childcare runs $803 in Medellin versus $465 in Ho. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ho – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $704 in Ho versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ho but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ho the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Ho 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 Ho gentler on the wallet – expenses run 133% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.