Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tegucigalpa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tegucigalpa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $886 in Tegucigalpa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,430 in Tegucigalpa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,975 in Tegucigalpa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 14% more than Tegucigalpa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Tegucigalpa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Tegucigalpa 34% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Tegucigalpa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.99 COPΒ 21.4K
$5.72 HNLΒ 152
4.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.86 COPΒ 117.2K
$38.08 HNLΒ 1,014
-13.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.09 COPΒ 25.3K
$7.54 HNLΒ 201
-5.97%
Cappuccino
$1.71 COPΒ 6,105
$2.29 HNLΒ 61.0
-25.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 COPΒ 3,918
$0.95 HNLΒ 25.24
15.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 COPΒ 2,776
$1.14 HNLΒ 30.24
-31.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.68 COPΒ 5,987
$1.14 HNLΒ 30.36
47.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 COPΒ 10.9K
$2.71 HNLΒ 72.2
13.28%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Tegucigalpa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.09 COPΒ 3,899
$1.40 HNLΒ 37.26
-22.14%
White Bread (500g)
$1.26 COPΒ 4,500
$2.15 HNLΒ 57.4
-41.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.38 COPΒ 4,914
$1.27 HNLΒ 33.71
8.66%
Eggs
$2.19 COPΒ 7,813
$2.11 HNLΒ 56.1
3.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.40 COPΒ 15.7K
$5.97 HNLΒ 159
-26.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.63 COPΒ 20.1K
$3.76 HNLΒ 100
49.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.89 COPΒ 31.7K
$8.02 HNLΒ 214
10.85%
Apples (1kg)
$2.34 COPΒ 8,334
$2.90 HNLΒ 77.3
-19.31%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 COPΒ 3,771
$1.47 HNLΒ 39.06
-27.89%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.50 COPΒ 5,365
$1.44 HNLΒ 38.26
4.17%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.38 COPΒ 4,915
$1.59 HNLΒ 42.44
-13.21%
Potato (1kg)
$1.15 COPΒ 4,104
$1.64 HNLΒ 43.77
-29.88%
Onion (1kg)
$1.16 COPΒ 4,148
$1.35 HNLΒ 35.87
-14.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 COPΒ 3,176
$0.90 HNLΒ 23.87
-1.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 COPΒ 2,992
$1.72 HNLΒ 45.74
-51.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28 COPΒ 8,131
$2.44 HNLΒ 65.0
-6.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.64 COPΒ 37.9K
$9.66 HNLΒ 257
10.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 COPΒ 4,276
$1.34 HNLΒ 35.57
-10.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 COPΒ 8,809
$1.77 HNLΒ 47.23
39.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Tegucigalpa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 COPΒ 3,051
$1.50 HNLΒ 40.09
-42.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.40 COPΒ 147.6K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.47 COPΒ 5,255
$4.17 HNLΒ 111
-64.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.96 COPΒ 6,997
$3.20 HNLΒ 85.1
-38.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.74 COPΒ 27.6K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 COPΒ 3,403
$1.02 HNLΒ 27.20
-6.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.1K COPΒ 64.6M
$19.6K HNLΒ 520.8K
-7.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K COPΒ 94.4M
$19.0K HNLΒ 505.9K
39.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Tegucigalpa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.3 COPΒ 293.2K
$81.8 HNLΒ 2,180
0.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.50 COPΒ 33.9K
$8.89 HNLΒ 237
6.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.23 COPΒ 86.4K
$41.08 HNLΒ 1,094
-41.02%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Tegucigalpa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.89 COPΒ 92.3K
$36.59 HNLΒ 975
-29.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.00 COPΒ 67.7K
$15.15 HNLΒ 404
25.41%
Cinema Ticket
$3.93 COPΒ 14.0K
$5.73 HNLΒ 153
-31.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Tegucigalpa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$309 COPΒ 1.1M
$251 HNLΒ 6,685
23.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,965 COPΒ 21.3M
-
-
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Tegucigalpa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.7 COPΒ 209.1K
$45.24 HNLΒ 1,205
29.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.35 COPΒ 115.3K
$35.93 HNLΒ 957
-9.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 COPΒ 365.7K
$107 HNLΒ 2,862
-4.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 COPΒ 386.5K
$102 HNLΒ 2,723
6.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Tegucigalpa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$476 COPΒ 1.7M
$278 HNLΒ 7,418
70.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$379 COPΒ 1.4M
$239 HNLΒ 6,355
58.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$838 COPΒ 3.0M
$576 HNLΒ 15.3K
45.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$724 COPΒ 2.6M
$469 HNLΒ 12.5K
54.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,791 COPΒ 9.9M
$2,760 HNLΒ 73.5K
1.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,211 COPΒ 4.3M
$1,566 HNLΒ 41.7K
-22.63%
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Tegucigalpa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$512 COPΒ 1.8M
$516 HNLΒ 13.7K
-0.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.43
12
11.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tegucigalpa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $278 in Tegucigalpa. 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 1% higher in Tegucigalpa, 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 $38.00 in Tegucigalpa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $208 – 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 Tegucigalpa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tegucigalpa cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,329 in Tegucigalpa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tegucigalpa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or Tegucigalpa?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $38.00 in Tegucigalpa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafΓ© pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and Tegucigalpa?
Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Medellin or Tegucigalpa?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tegucigalpa, where all-in costs run around $886, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Tegucigalpa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Tegucigalpa more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Tegucigalpa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Tegucigalpa. 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.

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