Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hurghada

For one person, living is cheaper in Hurghada: $473 a month against $1,589 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $13,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,589
/mo nomad
Hurghada
🇪🇬 Egypt
$473
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Hurghada

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 Hurghada actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $473 in Hurghada, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,589
  • Hurghada $473

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $963 in Hurghada, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,364
  • Hurghada $963

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $1,453 in Hurghada, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,139
  • Hurghada $1,453

Medellin costs about 236% more than Hurghada, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Hurghada is 65% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Hurghada
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.01 COP 25.8K
$3.88 E£203
106.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.55 COP 149.9K
$39.97 E£2,092
16.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.43 COP 30.4K
$5.82 E£304
62.03%
Cappuccino
$2.91 COP 9,374
$1.94 E£102
50.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 COP 5,643
$0.48 E£25.05
264.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32 COP 4,263
$0.20 E£10.36
560.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.13 COP 10.1K
$1.92 E£101
63.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.55 COP 17.9K
$3.12 E£163
77.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Hurghada
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 COP 4,542
$0.94 E£49.31
50.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.44 COP 7,858
$0.78 E£40.67
212.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 COP 5,245
$0.60 E£31.59
171.67%
Eggs
$2.82 COP 9,084
$1.92 E£101
46.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.69 COP 31.2K
$3.25 E£170
198.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.32 COP 30.0K
$5.87 E£307
58.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.46 COP 43.3K
$9.62 E£503
39.92%
Apples (1kg)
$4.00 COP 12.9K
$1.42 E£74.4
181.69%
Banana (1kg)
$1.48 COP 4,768
$0.48 E£24.94
208.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.12 COP 6,839
$0.41 E£21.47
417.07%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.25 COP 7,253
$0.43 E£22.52
423.26%
Potato (1kg)
$1.91 COP 6,155
$0.34 E£17.81
461.76%
Onion (1kg)
$1.62 COP 5,214
$0.41 E£21.43
295.12%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,696
$0.27 E£13.97
325.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 COP 4,063
$0.18 E£9.52
600.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.82 COP 12.3K
$2.14 E£112
78.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.11 COP 42.2K
$7.43 E£389
76.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.60 COP 5,136
$1.21 E£63.4
32.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,263
$1.74 E£91.2
29.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Hurghada
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,770
$0.20 E£10.27
485.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$75.0 COP 241.5K
$5.72 E£299
1211.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,098
$0.98 E£51.5
29.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,600
$0.20 E£10.37
925.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.20 COP 26.4K
$1.93 E£101
324.87%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 COP 4,088
$0.45 E£23.70
182.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K COP 86.2M
$31.8K E£1.7M
-15.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.4K COP 110.8M
$22.3K E£1.2M
54.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Hurghada
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$162 COP 522.3K
$24.80 E£1,298
554.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.12 COP 42.3K
$7.72 E£404
69.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.09 COP 90.5K
$9.60 E£503
192.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Hurghada
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.33 COP 142.7K
$27.21 E£1,424
62.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 COP 52.6K
$5.99 E£313
172.62%
Cinema Ticket
$6.09 COP 19.6K
$3.36 E£176
81.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Hurghada
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$764 COP 2.5M
$99.9 E£5,230
664.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,904 COP 28.7M
$604 E£31.6K
1374.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Hurghada
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.0 COP 273.6K
$20.13 E£1,053
322.11%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.5 COP 185.1K
$32.96 E£1,725
74.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$132 COP 424.2K
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.8 COP 308.3K
$28.43 E£1,488
236.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Hurghada
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.3M
$213 E£11.2K
382.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$604 COP 1.9M
$119 E£6,246
406.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,802 COP 5.8M
$216 E£11.3K
733.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$993 COP 3.2M
$555 E£29.0K
78.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,921 COP 12.6M
$553 E£28.9K
609.42%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,639 COP 5.3M
$602 E£31.5K
172.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Hurghada
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$626 COP 2.0M
$154 E£8,084
305.30%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
0
-

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Hurghada: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$604
Hurghada
$119 80.3% $485
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$288
Hurghada
$139 52% $150
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$203
Hurghada
$42 79.3% $161
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$166
Hurghada
$37 * 78% $130
Eating Out
Medellin
$166
Hurghada
$90 45.7% $76
Getting Around
Medellin
$91
Hurghada
$8.5 90.7% $83
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Hurghada
$34 39.9% $23

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $213 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 305% 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $40.00 in Hurghada. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $139 – making Hurghada the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇪🇬 Hurghada
🕒 Local time
05:20 5:20 AM
13:20 1:20 PM
8 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
160,901
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

EGP, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3,220 COP (10,000 COP = 3.11 USD). 1 EUR = 3,608 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

Egyptian Pound exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 52.33 EGP (100 EGP = 1.91 USD). 1 EUR = 58.64 EGP (100 EGP = 1.71 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Hurghada 11,580 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Hurghada

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 Hurghada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hurghada cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 236%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,384 per month in Medellin and $709 in Hurghada. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Hurghada?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,589 in Medellin and $473 in Hurghada. That's a gap of about 236%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 1212% less in Hurghada. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Hurghada?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Hurghada, where all-in costs run around $473, than in Medellin at $1,589. In Hurghada it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Hurghada more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Hurghada?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

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