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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,213 per month in Roatan vs $1,014 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,999 per month in Roatan vs $1,596 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,786 per month in Roatan vs $2,178 in Medellin, rent included.

Roatan costs about 20% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Roatan and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Roatan 10% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.66 HNL 204

$6.14 COP 22.2K

24.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.15 HNL 1,066

$33.05 COP 119.3K

21.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 HNL 237

$7.32 COP 26.4K

21.99%

Cappuccino

$3.77 HNL 100

$1.66 COP 5,987

127.11%

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

$1.20 HNL 31.91

$1.10 COP 3,987

9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 HNL 19.91

$0.78 COP 2,822

-3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 HNL 60.9

$1.71 COP 6,188

33.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 HNL 105

$3.17 COP 11.5K

24.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 HNL 34.71

$1.11 COP 4,012

18.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 HNL 89.8

$1.31 COP 4,719

158.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 HNL 59.5

$1.38 COP 4,980

62.32%

Eggs

$1.98 HNL 52.6

$2.22 COP 8,009

-10.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.91 HNL 290

$4.34 COP 15.7K

151.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 HNL 176

$5.80 COP 20.9K

14.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.91 HNL 476

$8.98 COP 32.4K

99.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 COP 8,164

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 HNL 28.56

$1.11 COP 4,023

-2.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.08 HNL 28.63

$1.46 COP 5,284

-26.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 HNL 15.08

$1.37 COP 4,929

-58.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 HNL 28.62

$1.11 COP 4,009

-2.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 HNL 29.61

$1.16 COP 4,199

-4.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 HNL 26.24

$0.89 COP 3,211

11.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 HNL 78.3

$0.87 COP 3,124

239.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 HNL 78.3

$2.35 COP 8,495

25.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 HNL 202

$10.86 COP 39.2K

-30.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,330

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 HNL 105

$2.48 COP 8,946

58.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,842

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 147.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 HNL 52.4

$1.42 COP 5,137

38.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,900

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.86 HNL 262

$7.65 COP 27.6K

28.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 HNL 28.13

$0.97 COP 3,490

9.28%

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

$18.1K COP 65.3M

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

$30.5K HNL 810.6K

$26.3K COP 95.0M

16.01%

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

$81.3 COP 293.5K

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

$9.63 COP 34.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 HNL 2,703

$24.36 COP 88.0K

317.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.9 HNL 1,618

$26.02 COP 93.9K

134.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 14.0K

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

$422 HNL 11.2K

$304 COP 1.1M

38.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,274 HNL 113.5K

$5,902 COP 21.3M

-27.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.69 HNL 1,081

$58.7 COP 211.8K

-30.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.38 HNL 541

$32.48 COP 117.2K

-37.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.69 HNL 1,081

$102 COP 367.3K

-60.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.22 HNL 1,307

$108 COP 390.4K

-54.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 HNL 22.3K

$474 COP 1.7M

76.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$542 HNL 14.4K

$371 COP 1.3M

46.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 HNL 19.4K

$848 COP 3.1M

-14.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 HNL 32.6K

$716 COP 2.6M

71.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,910 HNL 50.7K

$2,871 COP 10.4M

-33.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,336 HNL 35.5K

$1,375 COP 5.0M

-2.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 HNL 13.5K

$542 COP 2.0M

-6.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

34.03%

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

Last update for Roatan: April 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $838 in Roatan versus $474 in Medellin. 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 7% 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 $40 in Roatan versus $33 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $265 vs $190 – 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

Roatan vs Medellin: 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 $1,819 per month in Roatan and $1,522 in Medellin. 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 $40.00 in Roatan and $33.00 in Medellin. 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 $1,014, than in Roatan at $1,213. 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.