Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and San Pedro Sula Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and San Pedro Sula

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,239 in San Pedro Sula, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,872 in San Pedro Sula, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,506 in San Pedro Sula, rent included.

Medellin is about 17% cheaper than San Pedro Sula, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and San Pedro Sula are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, San Pedro Sula 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.73 HNL 207

-20.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$30.80 HNL 824

5.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.59 HNL 230

-14.55%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.15 HNL 57.4

-20.00%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.34 HNL 35.70

-21.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.06 HNL 28.33

-27.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.96 HNL 52.4

-13.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.33 HNL 88.9

-4.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.49 HNL 39.73

-29.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.98 HNL 52.9

-34.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.51 HNL 40.27

-7.28%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.53 HNL 67.7

-14.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.12 HNL 244

-51.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.04 HNL 162

-2.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$11.25 HNL 301

-23.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$4.27 HNL 114

-46.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.57 HNL 41.90

-29.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$3.72 HNL 99.4

-58.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.01 HNL 53.8

-32.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.25 HNL 60.3

-49.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.61 HNL 69.9

-56.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.85 HNL 22.70

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.62 HNL 43.43

-43.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.00 HNL 80.2

-22.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$13.11 HNL 351

-5.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.15 HNL 30.73

4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.55 HNL 41.48

60.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.63 HNL 16.91

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$36.58 HNL 978

10.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$3.66 HNL 97.7

-61.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.42 HNL 37.97

35.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.93 HNL 185

10.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.06 HNL 28.32

-6.60%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$21.4K HNL 573.4K

-15.94%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$16.6K HNL 443.9K

60.38%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$133 HNL 3,557

-39.25%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$10.04 HNL 268

-0.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$49.96 HNL 1,336

-51.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$38.74 HNL 1,036

-35.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$20.93 HNL 560

-8.50%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.59 HNL 149

-28.80%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$145 HNL 3,864

111.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,188 HNL 85.2K

90.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$52.1 HNL 1,394

11.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$37.66 HNL 1,007

-14.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$84.5 HNL 2,258

19.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$94.0 HNL 2,513

14.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$552 HNL 14.8K

-13.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$417 HNL 11.2K

-9.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$890 HNL 23.8K

-5.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$720 HNL 19.2K

1.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$999 HNL 26.7K

222.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$431 HNL 11.5K

218.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$594 HNL 15.9K

3.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.24

19.48%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for San Pedro Sula: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $552 in San Pedro Sula. 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 4% 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 $31.00 in San Pedro Sula. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $268 in San Pedro Sula – so Medellin 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 San Pedro Sula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Pedro Sula 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,858 in San Pedro Sula. 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 $31.00 in San Pedro Sula. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $1,239 in San Pedro Sula. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in San Pedro Sula at $1,239. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Pedro Sula 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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Pedro Sula makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.