Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hulhumale Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hulhumale

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,516 in Hulhumale.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $2,711 in Hulhumale.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $3,906 in Hulhumale.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 34% less than in Hulhumale, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% below, Hulhumale is 14% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$5.38 MVR 83.0

9.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$28.95 MVR 446

13.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$9.99 MVR 154

-25.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.50 MVR 69.4

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 MVR 58.7

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.94 MVR 45.37

-43.88%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.31 MVR 20.26

-16.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.25 MVR 3.82

212.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.81 MVR 27.83

-39.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.61 MVR 24.87

-21.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.33 MVR 5.09

318.18%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.54 MVR 23.76

41.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.31 MVR 128

-45.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.02 MVR 92.9

-3.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$8.74 MVR 135

2.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$4.14 MVR 63.8

-43.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$3.83 MVR 59.0

-72.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$4.26 MVR 65.7

-64.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$3.23 MVR 49.83

-57.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.52 MVR 23.38

-25.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.22 MVR 18.78

-4.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$3.07 MVR 47.27

-70.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.54 MVR 8.30

66.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.45 MVR 192

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 MVR 40.83

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.86 MVR 152

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$7.87 MVR 121

-71.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$2.00 MVR 30.83

-29.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.89 MVR 29.19

3.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$9.94 MVR 153

-20.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.95 MVR 14.65

4.21%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$32.5K MVR 501.9K

-45.92%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$33.8K MVR 521.0K

-20.69%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$106 MVR 1,632

-21.59%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$42.09 MVR 649

-76.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$41.60 MVR 641

-43.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$64.4 MVR 994

-60.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$9.83 MVR 152

-59.82%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$162 MVR 2,504

94.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$3,525 MVR 54.3K

69.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$44.06 MVR 679

36.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$56.9 MVR 878

-44.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$89.6 MVR 1,382

13.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$54.9 MVR 846

95.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$1,319 MVR 20.3K

-63.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$769 MVR 11.9K

-51.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$2,902 MVR 44.7K

-70.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$2,305 MVR 35.5K

-68.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$5,446 MVR 84.0K

-40.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$498 MVR 7,685

189.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$718 MVR 11.1K

-13.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

12.4

8.31%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Hulhumale: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $1,319 in Hulhumale. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hulhumale pays 15% 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 $29.00 in Hulhumale. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $225, with Medellin 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 Hulhumale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 51% lower than in Hulhumale. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Hulhumale. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $1,319 in Hulhumale. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $162 in Hulhumale. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $29.00 in Hulhumale. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,516 in Hulhumale, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Hulhumale. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,003 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Hulhumale 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Hulhumale. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.