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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,218 per month in Roatan vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,007 per month in Roatan vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,797 per month in Roatan vs $2,188 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 9% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.65 HNL 204

$5.95 COP 21.4K

28.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.35 HNL 1,049

$33.33 COP 119.6K

18.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.85 HNL 236

$7.23 COP 26.0K

22.41%

Cappuccino

$3.58 HNL 95.3

$1.63 COP 5,848

119.63%

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

$1.24 HNL 33.03

$1.09 COP 3,929

13.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 HNL 19.74

$0.73 COP 2,621

1.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 HNL 58.2

$1.74 COP 6,237

25.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 HNL 105

$3.23 COP 11.6K

21.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 HNL 34.87

$1.05 COP 3,766

24.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 HNL 90.0

$1.29 COP 4,643

162.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 HNL 57.2

$1.32 COP 4,748

62.88%

Eggs

$2.03 HNL 54.2

$2.27 COP 8,152

-10.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.87 HNL 290

$4.35 COP 15.6K

149.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 HNL 174

$5.88 COP 21.1K

10.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.33 HNL 462

$8.61 COP 30.9K

101.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,066

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 HNL 29.59

$1.07 COP 3,839

3.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.08 HNL 28.70

$1.52 COP 5,473

-28.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 HNL 15.10

$1.42 COP 5,105

-59.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 HNL 28.53

$1.17 COP 4,199

-8.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 HNL 28.74

$1.17 COP 4,193

-7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 HNL 27.10

$0.89 COP 3,183

14.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 HNL 81.9

$0.90 COP 3,235

241.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 HNL 79.6

$2.25 COP 8,059

32.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.77 HNL 207

$11.04 COP 39.6K

-29.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,089

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 HNL 109

$2.38 COP 8,537

71.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,998

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 150.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 HNL 52.5

$1.41 COP 5,051

39.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,823

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.05 HNL 268

$7.75 COP 27.8K

29.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 HNL 28.27

$1.01 COP 3,608

4.95%

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

$17.6K COP 63.1M

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

$30.6K HNL 814.4K

$26.5K COP 95.1M

15.32%

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

$83.7 COP 300.3K

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

$9.45 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 HNL 2,698

$24.11 COP 86.5K

319.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 HNL 1,603

$25.31 COP 90.8K

137.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.7K

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

$422 HNL 11.3K

$312 COP 1.1M

35.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,238 HNL 113.0K

$5,993 COP 21.5M

-29.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.47 HNL 1,052

$58.0 COP 208.3K

-32.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.91 HNL 531

$32.56 COP 116.9K

-38.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.64 HNL 1,057

$99.6 COP 357.6K

-60.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.3 HNL 1,342

$109 COP 389.6K

-53.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 HNL 22.9K

$482 COP 1.7M

78.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 HNL 14.8K

$379 COP 1.4M

46.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$722 HNL 19.3K

$837 COP 3.0M

-13.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 HNL 33.7K

$723 COP 2.6M

74.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,878 HNL 50.1K

$2,840 COP 10.2M

-33.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,346 HNL 35.9K

$1,223 COP 4.4M

10.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 HNL 13.1K

$541 COP 1.9M

-8.99%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $860 in Roatan versus $482 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 10% 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 $39.00 in Roatan versus $33.00 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 $1,827 per month in Roatan and $1,525 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 $39.00 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 $1,017, than in Roatan at $1,218. 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.