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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,212 per month in Roatan vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,980 per month in Roatan vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,749 per month in Roatan vs $2,200 in Medellin, rent included.

Roatan costs about 19% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.35 HNL 197

$5.93 COP 19.1K

23.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.22 HNL 1,076

$33.12 COP 106.6K

21.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.89 HNL 238

$7.12 COP 22.9K

24.86%

Cappuccino

$3.69 HNL 98.8

$1.71 COP 5,487

115.79%

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

$1.24 HNL 33.19

$1.05 COP 3,374

18.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 HNL 18.74

$0.72 COP 2,324

-2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 HNL 59.5

$1.72 COP 5,531

29.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 HNL 110

$3.17 COP 10.2K

29.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 HNL 34.79

$1.06 COP 3,426

22.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.24 HNL 86.7

$1.31 COP 4,215

147.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 HNL 57.3

$1.33 COP 4,279

60.90%

Eggs

$1.98 HNL 53.0

$2.28 COP 7,338

-13.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.82 HNL 289

$4.42 COP 14.2K

144.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.77 HNL 181

$5.92 COP 19.0K

14.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.97 HNL 481

$8.64 COP 27.8K

107.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,545

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 HNL 30.11

$1.10 COP 3,546

2.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 HNL 29.10

$1.47 COP 4,724

-25.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 HNL 15.38

$1.38 COP 4,439

-57.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 HNL 28.56

$1.17 COP 3,774

-8.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 HNL 28.86

$1.17 COP 3,765

-7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 HNL 27.41

$0.90 COP 2,905

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 HNL 78.8

$0.84 COP 2,708

250.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 HNL 79.6

$2.33 COP 7,490

27.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 HNL 202

$11.92 COP 38.3K

-36.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,693

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 HNL 110

$2.42 COP 7,791

69.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,702

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 HNL 54.5

$1.41 COP 4,541

44.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,160

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.91 HNL 265

$7.83 COP 25.2K

26.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 HNL 28.10

$0.94 COP 3,037

11.70%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

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

$30.3K HNL 809.8K

$27.1K COP 87.1M

11.79%

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

$83.3 COP 267.9K

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

$9.66 COP 31.1K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$98.4 HNL 2,633

$24.22 COP 77.9K

306.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 HNL 1,614

$25.22 COP 81.2K

139.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

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

$425 HNL 11.4K

$307 COP 986.5K

38.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,118 HNL 110.1K

$5,981 COP 19.2M

-31.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.11 HNL 1,073

$60.0 COP 192.9K

-33.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.18 HNL 540

$32.65 COP 105.1K

-38.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.47 HNL 1,056

$101 COP 325.2K

-60.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.9 HNL 1,361

$108 COP 347.6K

-52.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 HNL 22.6K

$476 COP 1.5M

77.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 HNL 14.7K

$379 COP 1.2M

45.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 HNL 19.8K

$816 COP 2.6M

-9.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,248 HNL 33.4K

$707 COP 2.3M

76.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,873 HNL 50.1K

$3,190 COP 10.3M

-41.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,335 HNL 35.7K

$1,446 COP 4.7M

-7.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 HNL 13.2K

$622 COP 2.0M

-20.85%

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: July 19, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $844 in Roatan versus $476 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 26% 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 $40.00 in Roatan versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 vs $192 – 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 19%, 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 $1,818 per month in Roatan and $1,527 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 38% 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 $1,018, than in Roatan at $1,212. 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.