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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,240 per month in Roatan vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,030 per month in Roatan vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,820 per month in Roatan vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Roatan is about 24% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Roatan sits 10% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.91 HNL 212

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-1.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.62 HNL 1,091

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-15.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.73 HNL 234

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-7.32%

Cappuccino

$4.44 HNL 119

$2.94 COP 9,040

51.02%

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

$1.01 HNL 27.04

$1.86 COP 5,735

-45.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 HNL 23.22

$1.46 COP 4,479

-41.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 HNL 67.5

$3.21 COP 9,882

-21.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 HNL 137

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-10.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 HNL 38.68

$1.44 COP 4,428

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 HNL 86.6

$2.40 COP 7,389

34.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 HNL 68.3

$1.70 COP 5,228

49.41%

Eggs

$2.04 HNL 54.7

$2.89 COP 8,896

-29.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.03 HNL 296

$10.06 COP 30.9K

9.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 HNL 173

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-35.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.46 HNL 469

$14.20 COP 43.7K

22.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 HNL 29.12

$1.58 COP 4,878

-31.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 HNL 29.14

$2.15 COP 6,624

-49.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 HNL 15.05

$2.30 COP 7,078

-75.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 HNL 44.10

$2.00 COP 6,169

-18.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 HNL 39.86

$1.51 COP 4,646

-1.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 HNL 31.45

$1.20 COP 3,701

-2.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 HNL 78.8

$1.28 COP 3,946

128.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 HNL 78.2

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-24.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.83 HNL 210

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-44.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 HNL 35.78

$1.71 COP 5,256

-22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 HNL 70.1

$2.74 COP 8,440

-4.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 HNL 55.0

$1.31 COP 4,016

56.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.12 HNL 272

$8.29 COP 25.5K

22.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 HNL 28.85

$1.36 COP 4,172

-21.32%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

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

$29.6K HNL 796.0K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-18.87%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$98.5 HNL 2,644

$28.32 COP 87.2K

247.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.9 HNL 1,580

$45.71 COP 140.7K

28.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

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

$499 HNL 13.4K

$803 COP 2.5M

-37.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.90 HNL 1,072

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-54.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.67 HNL 528

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-66.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.79 HNL 1,095

$139 COP 427.5K

-70.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.65 HNL 1,333

$102 COP 314.0K

-51.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 HNL 22.8K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-20.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 HNL 14.8K

$653 COP 2.0M

-15.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 HNL 53.4K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,229 HNL 33.0K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

17.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,907 HNL 51.2K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-53.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,338 HNL 35.9K

$1,697 COP 5.2M

-21.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$495 HNL 13.3K

$655 COP 2.0M

-24.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

64.53%

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

Last update for Roatan: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $848 in Roatan versus $1,071 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 32% higher in Medellin, 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 $41.00 in Roatan versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $300 – making Roatan 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 32%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,859 per month in Roatan and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Roatan, 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 $41.00 in Roatan and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Medellin, 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 Roatan, where all-in costs run around $1,240, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Roatan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Roatan – 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 Roatan. 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.