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 $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,215 in San Pedro Sula, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,842 in San Pedro Sula, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,469 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 24% lower, San Pedro Sula 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$7.66 HNL 204

-21.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$31.10 HNL 828

5.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.68 HNL 231

-18.32%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.17 HNL 57.8

-21.20%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.37 HNL 36.62

-19.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$1.11 HNL 29.53

-29.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.94 HNL 51.6

-13.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$3.22 HNL 85.7

-4.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.47 HNL 39.15

-25.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.96 HNL 52.2

-35.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.55 HNL 41.32

-10.97%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.51 HNL 66.8

-12.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$8.92 HNL 238

-50.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.95 HNL 159

-5.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$10.98 HNL 293

-19.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$4.27 HNL 114

-45.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.58 HNL 42.03

-32.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$3.94 HNL 105

-61.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$2.02 HNL 53.7

-31.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$2.27 HNL 60.5

-49.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$2.51 HNL 66.8

-53.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.82 HNL 21.92

8.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.62 HNL 43.22

-48.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$3.14 HNL 83.7

-27.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$12.99 HNL 346

-18.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.11 HNL 29.47

8.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.62 HNL 43.04

52.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.58 HNL 15.51

48.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$37.20 HNL 991

11.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$3.75 HNL 99.8

-60.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.43 HNL 37.99

37.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$7.19 HNL 192

7.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.05 HNL 27.96

-9.52%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$21.5K HNL 573.8K

-15.84%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$16.4K HNL 435.6K

61.98%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$135 HNL 3,589

-38.96%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$10.17 HNL 271

-6.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$49.79 HNL 1,326

-51.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$39.17 HNL 1,043

-33.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$20.81 HNL 554

-8.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.41 HNL 144

-27.36%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$144 HNL 3,844

114.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,288 HNL 87.6K

81.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$50.5 HNL 1,344

16.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$37.13 HNL 989

-12.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$83.6 HNL 2,226

22.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$93.6 HNL 2,492

15.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$556 HNL 14.8K

-14.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$416 HNL 11.1K

-9.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$925 HNL 24.6K

-9.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$739 HNL 19.7K

-2.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,031 HNL 27.5K

170.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$430 HNL 11.4K

182.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$597 HNL 15.9K

-14.29%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for San Pedro Sula: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $556 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 17% higher in San Pedro Sula, 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 $31.00 in San Pedro Sula. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $266 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,823 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $1,215 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 $1,013, than in San Pedro Sula at $1,215. 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.