Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hurghada Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hurghada

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $539 in Hurghada, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,008 in Hurghada, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,477 in Hurghada, rent included.

Medellin costs about 86% more than Hurghada, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Hurghada are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Hurghada 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$4.04 E£203

46.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$38.81 E£1,952

-15.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$5.97 E£300

24.46%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.64 E£82.6

0.61%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.37 E£18.83

197.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.14 E£6.90

457.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.04 E£103

-15.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.61 E£131

21.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.95 E£47.64

15.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.61 E£30.83

106.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.05 E£52.9

31.43%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.10 E£106

3.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$3.40 E£171

32.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.58 E£331

-12.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$9.81 E£494

-8.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.37 E£69.2

69.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.46 E£23.27

130.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$0.43 E£21.61

253.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.61 E£30.67

122.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.50 E£25.30

126.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.55 E£27.63

112.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.28 E£14.04

221.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.16 E£8.15

462.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$1.95 E£98.1

14.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$7.66 E£386

58.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.21 E£60.6

-1.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.84 E£92.5

34.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.11 E£5.30

672.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.41 E£20.77

246.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.20 E£10.23

875.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$1.95 E£98.0

304.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.35 E£17.69

182.86%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$17.6K E£885.9K

-0.05%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$33.7K E£1.7M

-20.57%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$25.72 E£1,294

222.74%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$8.69 E£437

11.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$12.88 E£648

82.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$26.87 E£1,351

-5.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$7.00 E£352

172.86%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.35 E£169

17.91%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$98.1 E£4,934

221.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$584 E£29.3K

923.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$11.18 E£562

436.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$19.49 E£980

63.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$108 E£5,451

-6.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$49.78 E£2,504

115.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$264 E£13.3K

79.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$133 E£6,683

181.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$259 E£13.0K

227.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$440 E£22.1K

63.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$558 E£28.0K

485.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$639 E£32.1K

125.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$161 E£8,087

288.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

16.67

-19.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Hurghada: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $264 in Hurghada. 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 288% higher in Medellin, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $39.00 in Hurghada. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $146 in Hurghada – so Hurghada wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Hurghada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 86%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $809 in Hurghada. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hurghada, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $539 in Hurghada. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Medellin and $98.1 in Hurghada. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Hurghada, where all-in costs run around $539, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Hurghada it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hurghada – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Hurghada. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.