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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $427 in Homs.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $639 in Homs.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $850 in Homs.

Living in Medellin is roughly 137% more expensive than Homs, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Homs 68% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Homs
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.99 COPΒ 21.4K
$2.98 SYPΒ 330
101.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.86 COPΒ 117.4K
$12.12 SYPΒ 1,339
171.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.09 COPΒ 25.3K
$3.95 SYPΒ 437
79.49%
Cappuccino
$1.71 COPΒ 6,115
$0.99 SYPΒ 109
72.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 COPΒ 3,924
$0.67 SYPΒ 73.7
64.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 COPΒ 2,781
$0.44 SYPΒ 48.73
77.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.68 COPΒ 5,997
$0.83 SYPΒ 91.3
102.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 COPΒ 11.0K
$0.98 SYPΒ 109
213.27%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Homs
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.09 COPΒ 3,906
$0.67 SYPΒ 74.2
62.69%
White Bread (500g)
$1.26 COPΒ 4,508
$0.59 SYPΒ 65.0
113.56%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.38 COPΒ 4,922
$1.13 SYPΒ 125
22.12%
Eggs
$2.19 COPΒ 7,827
$1.85 SYPΒ 204
18.38%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.40 COPΒ 15.7K
$2.70 SYPΒ 299
62.96%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.63 COPΒ 20.1K
$5.61 SYPΒ 620
0.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.89 COPΒ 31.8K
$11.17 SYPΒ 1,234
-20.41%
Apples (1kg)
$2.34 COPΒ 8,349
$0.67 SYPΒ 73.9
249.25%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 COPΒ 3,777
$1.42 SYPΒ 157
-25.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.50 COPΒ 5,374
$0.48 SYPΒ 52.8
212.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.38 COPΒ 4,924
$0.32 SYPΒ 34.88
331.25%
Potato (1kg)
$1.15 COPΒ 4,111
$0.57 SYPΒ 62.5
101.75%
Onion (1kg)
$1.16 COPΒ 4,155
$0.66 SYPΒ 73.0
75.76%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 COPΒ 3,182
$0.37 SYPΒ 41.38
140.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 COPΒ 2,997
$0.58 SYPΒ 64.2
44.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28 COPΒ 8,145
$1.51 SYPΒ 167
50.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.64 COPΒ 38.0K
$3.68 SYPΒ 406
189.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 COPΒ 4,284
$0.88 SYPΒ 97.7
36.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 COPΒ 8,824
$0.98 SYPΒ 108
152.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Homs
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 COPΒ 3,056
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.40 COPΒ 147.9K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.47 COPΒ 5,264
$1.02 SYPΒ 113
44.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.96 COPΒ 7,009
$1.02 SYPΒ 112
92.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.74 COPΒ 27.6K
$1.54 SYPΒ 170
402.60%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 COPΒ 3,409
$1.26 SYPΒ 140
-24.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.1K COPΒ 64.7M
$18.3K SYPΒ 2.0M
-0.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K COPΒ 94.6M
$21.1K SYPΒ 2.3M
25.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Homs
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.3 COPΒ 293.7K
$104 SYPΒ 11.4K
-20.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.50 COPΒ 33.9K
$6.05 SYPΒ 669
57.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.23 COPΒ 86.5K
$14.71 SYPΒ 1,625
64.72%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Homs
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.89 COPΒ 92.4K
$10.15 SYPΒ 1,121
155.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.00 COPΒ 67.9K
$4.88 SYPΒ 540
289.34%
Cinema Ticket
$3.93 COPΒ 14.0K
$2.93 SYPΒ 323
34.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Homs
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$309 COPΒ 1.1M
$43.65 SYPΒ 4,823
608.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,965 COPΒ 21.3M
$1,825 SYPΒ 201.7K
226.85%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Homs
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.7 COPΒ 209.5K
$14.92 SYPΒ 1,649
293.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.35 COPΒ 115.5K
$12.43 SYPΒ 1,374
160.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 COPΒ 366.4K
$45.88 SYPΒ 5,069
123.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 COPΒ 387.2K
$56.6 SYPΒ 6,255
91.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Homs
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$476 COPΒ 1.7M
$76.4 SYPΒ 8,444
523.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$379 COPΒ 1.4M
$35.68 SYPΒ 3,943
961.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$838 COPΒ 3.0M
$296 SYPΒ 32.7K
183.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$724 COPΒ 2.6M
$49.82 SYPΒ 5,505
1352.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,791 COPΒ 10.0M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,211 COPΒ 4.3M
-
-
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Homs
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$512 COPΒ 1.8M
$73.3 SYPΒ 8,095
598.68%
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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Homs: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $76.4 in Homs. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 599% 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 $188 vs $135 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
Is Homs cheaper than Medellin?
Homs is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 137% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Medellin or Homs?
Medellin pays 599% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Homs?
Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $76.4 in Homs. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and Homs?
Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin vs Homs?
All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $427 in Homs – a 137% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Medellin or Homs?
At $427 in Homs versus $1,013 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.
Is Medellin or Homs more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Homs gentler on the wallet – expenses run 137% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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