Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Maui, HI

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $4,747 in Maui, HI, rent and utilities included – about $37,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Maui, HI, United States
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Maui, HI
🇺🇸 United States
$4,747
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Maui, HI

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

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $4,747 in Maui, HI, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Maui, HI $4,747

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $6,648 in Maui, HI, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Maui, HI $6,648

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $8,550 in Maui, HI, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Maui, HI $8,550

Medellin is about 65% cheaper than Maui, HI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Medellin and Maui, HI sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Maui, HI by 249%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Maui, HI
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$35.62 $35.62
-77.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.7K
$120 $120
-60.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.6K
$15.24 $15.24
-37.66%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,722
$6.86 $6.86
-56.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,801
$3.07 $3.07
-41.37%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,554
$2.68 $2.68
-47.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.2K
$8.13 $8.13
-60.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.5K
$9.17 $9.17
-37.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Maui, HI
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,869
$2.20 $2.20
-31.36%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,667
$8.86 $8.86
-73.14%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,712
$8.62 $8.62
-79.47%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,320
$8.75 $8.75
-66.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$27.46 $27.46
-62.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.8K
$15.20 $15.20
-35.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.1K
$22.21 $22.21
-37.01%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$10.05 $10.05
-60.50%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,005
$2.22 $2.22
-30.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,039
$10.08 $10.08
-78.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,041
$7.98 $7.98
-72.68%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,328
$6.79 $6.79
-71.13%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,125
$7.82 $7.82
-79.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,694
$4.86 $4.86
-76.34%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,009
$3.55 $3.55
-65.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$16.92 $16.92
-76.60%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.1K
$19.74 $19.74
-30.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,352
$1.68 $1.68
-1.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,281
$7.81 $7.81
-71.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Maui, HI
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,766
$2.77 $2.77
-57.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.5K
$100 $100
-22.74%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,089
$9.92 $9.92
-87.20%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,603
$0.95 $0.95
115.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,343
$1.30 $1.30
3.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 109.8M
$37.7K $37.7K
-9.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.8M
$33.2K $33.2K
4.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Maui, HI
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.0K
$395 $395
-57.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.7K
$61.5 $61.5
-77.97%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.5K
$73.3 $73.3
-61.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Maui, HI
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 140.9K
$29.55 $29.55
47.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.4K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$14.98 $14.98
-53.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Maui, HI
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$1,674 $1,674
-52.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$17.0K $17.0K
-46.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Maui, HI
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.2K
$89.8 $89.8
-5.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 186.9K
$54.5 $54.5
6.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.2K
$131 $131
2.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 315.6K
$203 $203
-51.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Maui, HI
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
$2,283 $2,283
-47.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
$2,611 $2,611
-75.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
$4,532 $4,532
-55.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
$3,841 $3,841
-73.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.4M
$14.3K $14.3K
-70.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
$9,220 $9,220
-79.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Maui, HI
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$5,712 $5,712
-88.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
6.52
67.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Maui, HI: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Maui, HI
$2.6K 307% $2K
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Maui, HI
$711 139% $414
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Maui, HI
$529 151% $318
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Maui, HI
$495 192% $325
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Maui, HI
$215 27.5% $46
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Maui, HI
$126 34.6% $32
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Maui, HI
$60 3.4% $2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $2,283 in Maui, HI. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Maui, HI are about 8.7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $120 in Maui, HI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $711 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇺🇸 Maui, HI
🕒 Local time
03:03 3:03 AM
22:03 10:03 PM
5 h behind Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
6,452
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Maui, HI 8,800 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Maui, HI

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 Maui, HI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Medellin and in Maui, HI compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,639 in Medellin, $4,747 in Maui, HI – Medellin comes out roughly 65% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Medellin compared to Maui, HI?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $7,120 in Maui, HI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Medellin and Maui, HI?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,208 there versus $2,283 in Maui, HI.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Medellin and Maui, HI?
Kindergarten costs $797 per month in Medellin and $1,674 in Maui, HI. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 139% more in Maui, HI, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,639, than in Maui, HI at $4,747. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Maui, HI it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Medellin or Maui, HI?
Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Medellin and Maui, HI?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Maui, HI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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