Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Roatan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Roatan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,218 in Roatan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,007 in Roatan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,797 in Roatan, rent included.

Medellin is about 17% cheaper than Roatan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Roatan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Roatan 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 21.4K

$7.65 HNL 204

-22.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 119.6K

$39.35 HNL 1,049

-15.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 26.0K

$8.85 HNL 236

-18.31%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,848

$3.58 HNL 95.3

-54.47%

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

$1.09 COP 3,929

$1.24 HNL 33.03

-12.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,621

$0.74 HNL 19.74

-1.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,237

$2.18 HNL 58.2

-20.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.6K

$3.93 HNL 105

-17.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,766

$1.31 HNL 34.87

-19.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,643

$3.38 HNL 90.0

-61.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,748

$2.15 HNL 57.2

-38.60%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,152

$2.03 HNL 54.2

11.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.6K

$10.87 HNL 290

-59.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.1K

$6.51 HNL 174

-9.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.9K

$17.33 HNL 462

-50.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,066

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,839

$1.11 HNL 29.59

-3.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,473

$1.08 HNL 28.70

40.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,105

$0.57 HNL 15.10

149.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,199

$1.07 HNL 28.53

9.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,193

$1.08 HNL 28.74

8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,183

$1.02 HNL 27.10

-12.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,235

$3.07 HNL 81.9

-70.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,059

$2.99 HNL 79.6

-24.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.6K

$7.77 HNL 207

42.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,089

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,537

$4.08 HNL 109

-41.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,998

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 150.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,051

$1.97 HNL 52.5

-28.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,823

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.8K

$10.05 HNL 268

-22.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,608

$1.06 HNL 28.27

-4.72%

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

$17.6K COP 63.1M

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

$26.5K COP 95.1M

$30.6K HNL 814.4K

-13.28%

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

$83.7 COP 300.3K

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

$9.45 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.5K

$101 HNL 2,698

-76.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.8K

$60.1 HNL 1,603

-57.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.7K

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$422 HNL 11.3K

-26.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.5M

$4,238 HNL 113.0K

41.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 208.3K

$39.47 HNL 1,052

47.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.9K

$19.91 HNL 531

63.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 357.6K

$39.64 HNL 1,057

151.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 389.6K

$50.3 HNL 1,342

115.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$860 HNL 22.9K

-43.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$556 HNL 14.8K

-31.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

$722 HNL 19.3K

15.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

$1,264 HNL 33.7K

-42.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.2M

$1,878 HNL 50.1K

51.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

$1,346 HNL 35.9K

-9.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$492 HNL 13.1K

9.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-25.39%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Roatan: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $860 in Roatan. 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 10% higher in Medellin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $39.00 in Roatan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $265 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Roatan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Roatan is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,827 in Roatan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $39.00 in Roatan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% more in Roatan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Roatan at $1,218. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Roatan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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