Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hot Springs, AR

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,614 a month against $1,710 in Hot Springs, AR, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. The total is higher in Hot Springs, AR despite lower rent and utilities.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
83

Cost of Living Index in Hot Springs, AR
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Hot Springs, AR Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,614

/mo nomad

Hot Springs, AR

🇺🇸 United States

$1,710

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Hot Springs, AR

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Hot Springs, AR actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,614 per month in Medellin vs $1,710 in Hot Springs, AR, rent included.

Medellin $1,614
Hot Springs, AR $1,710

A couple spends around $2,402 per month in Medellin vs $2,571 in Hot Springs, AR, rent included.

Medellin $2,402
Hot Springs, AR $2,571

A family of three spends $3,190 per month in Medellin vs $3,432 in Hot Springs, AR, rent included.

Medellin $3,190
Hot Springs, AR $3,432

Medellin is about 6% cheaper than Hot Springs, AR, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Hot Springs, AR sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Hot Springs, AR by 27%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.93 COP 25.2K

$16.17 $16.17

-50.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.13 COP 146.3K

$69.0 $69.0

-33.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.1K

$9.35 $9.35

1.60%

Cappuccino

$3.11 COP 9,866

$5.02 $5.02

-38.05%

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

$1.83 COP 5,800

$2.77 $2.77

-33.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 COP 4,360

$1.53 $1.53

-9.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 COP 9,672

$4.87 $4.87

-37.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 COP 17.4K

$6.01 $6.01

-8.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 COP 4,600

$0.92 $0.92

57.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 COP 7,496

$2.97 $2.97

-20.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 COP 5,328

$2.03 $2.03

-17.24%

Eggs

$2.86 COP 9,077

$2.31 $2.31

23.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.3K

$10.88 $10.88

-6.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 COP 30.2K

$12.73 $12.73

-25.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 COP 44.5K

$19.27 $19.27

-27.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 COP 12.9K

$3.60 $3.60

13.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,742

$1.38 $1.38

8.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 COP 6,891

$3.74 $3.74

-41.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 COP 7,310

$3.72 $3.72

-37.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 COP 6,113

$1.79 $1.79

7.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 COP 5,196

$2.73 $2.73

-39.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 COP 3,571

$2.34 $2.34

-51.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,954

$1.09 $1.09

14.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 COP 12.6K

$8.54 $8.54

-53.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 COP 42.3K

$18.84 $18.84

-29.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 COP 5,384

$2.56 $2.56

-33.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 7,525

$4.57 $4.57

-48.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 COP 3,827

$1.22 $1.22

-0.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.5 COP 242.5K

$28.39 $28.39

169.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 COP 4,179

$2.72 $2.72

-51.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 COP 6,774

$2.20 $2.20

-2.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.47 COP 26.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,114

$0.87 $0.87

49.43%

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

$28.0K COP 88.7M

$16.8K $16.8K

66.95%

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

$35.4K COP 112.3M

$23.1K $23.1K

53.28%

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

$172 COP 545.6K

$179 $179

-3.78%

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

$13.37 COP 42.4K

$56.1 $56.1

-76.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.73 COP 91.1K

$39.40 $39.40

-27.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.24 COP 143.5K

$34.69 $34.69

30.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.04 COP 54.0K

$9.92 $9.92

71.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 COP 19.9K

$10.13 $10.13

-38.01%

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

$770 COP 2.4M

$593 $593

29.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,011 COP 28.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 COP 274.0K

$40.76 $40.76

112.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 COP 181.1K

$40.11 $40.11

42.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 432.9K

$102 $102

34.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 310.4K

$78.7 $78.7

24.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 COP 3.3M

$722 $722

46.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 COP 2.0M

$582 $582

5.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,892 COP 6.0M

$1,088 $1,088

73.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 COP 3.2M

$905 $905

12.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,059 COP 12.9M

$1,950 $1,950

108.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,678 COP 5.3M

$1,942 $1,942

-13.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 COP 2.1M

$3,532 $3,532

-81.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.49

68.57%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Hot Springs, AR: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$616 38.2%

Hot Springs, AR

$582 34% 5.5% $34

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$295 18.3%

Hot Springs, AR

$363 21.2% 23.2% $68

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$214 13.3%

Hot Springs, AR

$274 16% 28.1% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$170 10.5%

Hot Springs, AR

$118 6.9% 30.9% $52

Eating Out

Medellin

$168 10.4%

Hot Springs, AR

$271 15.9% 61.1% $103

Getting Around

Medellin

$93 5.8%

Hot Springs, AR

$47 2.8% 49.6% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.6%

Hot Springs, AR

$55 3.2% 4.9% $2.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,055 in Medellin versus $722 in Hot Springs, AR. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 441% higher in Hot Springs, AR, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Medellin versus $69.0 in Hot Springs, AR. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $363 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇺🇸 Hot Springs, AR

🕒 Local time

08:31 8:31 AM

Same time as Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

37,930

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

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Medellin Hot Springs, AR 3,610 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Hot Springs, AR

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Hot Springs, AR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hot Springs, AR costs about 6% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,421 per month in Medellin and $2,565 in Hot Springs, AR. 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.

Kindergarten costs $770 per month in Medellin and $593 in Hot Springs, AR. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Hot Springs, AR, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,614, than in Hot Springs, AR at $1,710. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hot Springs, AR it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,614 versus $1,710 in Hot Springs, AR. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hot Springs, AR makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.