Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pedro Sula and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pedro Sula and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in San Pedro Sula vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,845 per month in San Pedro Sula vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,467 per month in San Pedro Sula vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

San Pedro Sula is about 29% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

San Pedro Sula sits 11% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.65 HNL 205

$8.03 COP 25.3K

-4.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.69 HNL 904

$48.26 COP 152.0K

-30.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.34 HNL 251

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-4.40%

Cappuccino

$2.42 HNL 65.0

$2.91 COP 9,167

-16.84%

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

$1.08 HNL 28.93

$1.94 COP 6,122

-44.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 HNL 20.87

$1.52 COP 4,792

-48.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 HNL 50.5

$3.09 COP 9,740

-39.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 HNL 93.8

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-39.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 HNL 39.31

$1.36 COP 4,296

8.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 HNL 52.8

$2.39 COP 7,519

-17.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 HNL 43.42

$1.70 COP 5,356

-4.71%

Eggs

$2.30 HNL 61.8

$2.87 COP 9,038

-19.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.76 HNL 235

$9.94 COP 31.3K

-11.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.80 HNL 182

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-36.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.26 HNL 248

$14.73 COP 46.4K

-37.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 HNL 97.2

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-11.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 HNL 32.76

$1.57 COP 4,950

-22.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 HNL 88.4

$2.13 COP 6,695

54.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 HNL 43.94

$2.21 COP 6,972

-25.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 HNL 65.2

$2.05 COP 6,447

18.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 HNL 61.4

$1.50 COP 4,737

52.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 HNL 39.24

$1.19 COP 3,747

22.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 HNL 45.02

$1.16 COP 3,647

44.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 HNL 78.1

$3.90 COP 12.3K

-25.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.95 HNL 348

$14.44 COP 45.5K

-10.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 HNL 21.38

$1.58 COP 4,987

-49.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 HNL 36.17

$2.83 COP 8,905

-52.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 HNL 16.91

$1.17 COP 3,679

-46.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.42 HNL 950

$77.7 COP 244.8K

-54.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 HNL 76.0

$1.28 COP 4,045

121.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 HNL 48.83

$2.09 COP 6,589

-12.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.20 HNL 301

$8.62 COP 27.1K

29.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 HNL 26.55

$1.30 COP 4,088

-23.85%

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

$23.3K HNL 625.1K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

-15.76%

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

$24.4K HNL 654.3K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-31.32%

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

$128 HNL 3,439

$176 COP 554.5K

-27.21%

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

$11.18 HNL 300

$13.37 COP 42.1K

-16.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.78 HNL 1,148

$29.89 COP 94.1K

43.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.57 HNL 1,008

$44.76 COP 141.0K

-16.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.89 HNL 373

$17.06 COP 53.7K

-18.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 HNL 155

$6.20 COP 19.5K

-6.94%

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

$149 HNL 4,009

$793 COP 2.5M

-81.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,150 HNL 84.5K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-65.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.9 HNL 1,984

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-13.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.87 HNL 1,070

$58.5 COP 184.1K

-31.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 HNL 2,090

$136 COP 429.3K

-42.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.8 HNL 2,034

$103 COP 324.7K

-26.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$552 HNL 14.8K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-47.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$415 HNL 11.1K

$680 COP 2.1M

-38.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 HNL 21.3K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-60.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 HNL 19.1K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-38.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$995 HNL 26.7K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-75.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$430 HNL 11.5K

$1,701 COP 5.4M

-74.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 HNL 16.1K

$665 COP 2.1M

-9.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.33

10.94

12.71%

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

Last update for San Pedro Sula: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $552 in San Pedro Sula versus $1,060 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 11% 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 $34.00 in San Pedro Sula versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $303 – making San Pedro Sula 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

San Pedro Sula vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 40%, 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 $1,834 per month in San Pedro Sula and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Pedro Sula, 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 $34.00 in San Pedro Sula and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,223 in San Pedro Sula and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in San Pedro Sula, where all-in costs run around $1,223, than in Medellin at $1,716. In San Pedro Sula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Pedro Sula – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with San Pedro Sula. 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.