Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Homs Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Homs

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $429 in Homs.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $635 in Homs.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $841 in Homs.

Living in Medellin is roughly 140% more expensive than in Homs, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Homs 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.05 SYP 371

101.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$12.03 SYP 1,462

170.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.07 SYP 495

80.34%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$1.01 SYP 122

70.30%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.62 SYP 75.8

69.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.41 SYP 50.1

87.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$0.88 SYP 108

92.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.01 SYP 123

213.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.63 SYP 76.2

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.60 SYP 72.6

116.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.13 SYP 138

23.89%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.85 SYP 225

16.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$2.81 SYP 342

56.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.63 SYP 684

4.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$11.08 SYP 1,347

-22.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$0.63 SYP 76.3

261.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.37 SYP 167

-18.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$0.52 SYP 63.2

194.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.31 SYP 38.24

335.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.57 SYP 68.9

98.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.61 SYP 74.4

85.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.38 SYP 45.74

123.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.59 SYP 71.4

54.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$1.54 SYP 187

51.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$3.80 SYP 461

225.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.83 SYP 101

44.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.02 SYP 123

144.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.01 SYP 123

40.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.99 SYP 120

93.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$1.47 SYP 179

421.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.23 SYP 149

-19.51%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$18.2K SYP 2.2M

-0.66%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$20.7K SYP 2.5M

28.66%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$101 SYP 12.2K

-19.65%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$5.90 SYP 716

68.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$15.08 SYP 1,833

60.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$9.87 SYP 1,199

154.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$4.90 SYP 596

290.82%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.09 SYP 375

28.80%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$43.94 SYP 5,339

594.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,835 SYP 223.0K

230.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$14.77 SYP 1,795

293.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$12.52 SYP 1,521

157.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$45.16 SYP 5,488

123.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$55.6 SYP 6,760

93.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$76.4 SYP 9,285

523.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$35.14 SYP 4,271

970.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$300 SYP 36.5K

181.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$49.52 SYP 6,017

1375.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$74.3 SYP 9,034

729.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

13.75

-2.33%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Homs: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $76.4 in Homs. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 730% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $12.00 in Homs for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $134 per month, with Homs 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 Homs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Homs is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 140% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 730% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $76.4 in Homs. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $429 in Homs – a 140% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $429 in Homs versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Homs but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Homs the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Homs gentler on the wallet – expenses run 140% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.