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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $531 in Hurghada, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,013 in Hurghada, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,495 in Hurghada, rent included.

Medellin costs about 94% more than Hurghada, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Hurghada are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Hurghada 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$4.04 E£201

48.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$39.86 E£1,988

-17.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$6.04 E£301

22.85%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$1.67 E£83.3

-1.20%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$0.34 E£17.17

214.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$0.13 E£6.52

484.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$1.99 E£99.4

-13.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$2.59 E£129

23.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$1.00 E£49.82

5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$0.60 E£30.03

118.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$1.07 E£53.2

25.23%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$2.11 E£105

3.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$3.52 E£176

25.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$6.62 E£330

-14.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$10.06 E£501

-15.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$1.38 E£68.9

69.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$0.43 E£21.45

158.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$0.39 E£19.50

289.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$0.57 E£28.60

140.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$0.50 E£24.86

130.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$0.58 E£28.90

103.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$0.30 E£14.99

180.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$0.20 E£10.06

330.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$1.99 E£99.4

13.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$7.32 E£365

58.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$1.20 E£60.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$1.83 E£91.2

35.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

$0.09 E£4.62

777.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$0.39 E£19.40

276.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$0.19 E£9.34

910.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$1.95 E£97.2

298.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$0.36 E£17.78

180.56%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$17.4K E£867.0K

1.56%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$33.4K E£1.7M

-20.77%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$26.53 E£1,323

205.69%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$8.36 E£417

12.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$12.66 E£631

88.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

$26.61 E£1,327

-2.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

$7.00 E£349

167.29%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$3.49 E£174

17.19%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$97.7 E£4,873

221.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$596 E£29.7K

910.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$11.16 E£557

434.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$19.49 E£972

64.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$110 E£5,507

-8.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$51.1 E£2,547

105.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$263 E£13.1K

84.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$131 E£6,509

179.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$260 E£13.0K

218.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$451 E£22.5K

61.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$555 E£27.7K

438.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$633 E£31.6K

107.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$157 E£7,813

251.56%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Hurghada: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $263 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 252% 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 $40.00 in Hurghada. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $147 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 94%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $797 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 $1,028 in Medellin and $531 in Hurghada. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $315 per month in Medellin and $97.7 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 $531, than in Medellin at $1,028. 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.