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 $1,239 per month in San Pedro Sula vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,872 per month in San Pedro Sula vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,506 per month in San Pedro Sula vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

San Pedro Sula costs about 20% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both San Pedro Sula and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – San Pedro Sula 7% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.73 HNL 207

$6.16 COP 20.1K

25.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.80 HNL 823

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-5.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.59 HNL 230

$7.34 COP 23.9K

17.03%

Cappuccino

$2.15 HNL 57.4

$1.72 COP 5,600

25.00%

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

$1.34 HNL 35.70

$1.05 COP 3,420

27.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 HNL 28.33

$0.77 COP 2,515

37.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 HNL 52.4

$1.69 COP 5,488

15.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 HNL 88.9

$3.17 COP 10.3K

5.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 HNL 39.73

$1.05 COP 3,423

41.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 HNL 52.9

$1.30 COP 4,236

52.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 HNL 40.27

$1.40 COP 4,544

7.86%

Eggs

$2.53 HNL 67.7

$2.16 COP 7,047

17.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.12 HNL 244

$4.39 COP 14.3K

107.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.04 HNL 162

$5.88 COP 19.1K

2.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.25 HNL 301

$8.64 COP 28.1K

30.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.27 HNL 114

$2.28 COP 7,426

87.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 HNL 41.90

$1.11 COP 3,604

41.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 HNL 99.4

$1.53 COP 4,983

143.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 HNL 53.8

$1.35 COP 4,410

48.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 HNL 60.3

$1.13 COP 3,674

99.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 HNL 69.9

$1.13 COP 3,692

130.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 HNL 22.70

$0.85 COP 2,753

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 HNL 43.43

$0.91 COP 2,975

78.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 HNL 80.2

$2.34 COP 7,630

28.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 HNL 351

$12.37 COP 40.3K

5.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 HNL 30.72

$1.20 COP 3,909

-4.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 HNL 41.48

$2.49 COP 8,104

-37.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 HNL 16.91

$0.84 COP 2,728

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.58 HNL 978

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-9.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.66 HNL 97.7

$1.42 COP 4,623

157.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 HNL 37.97

$1.92 COP 6,235

-26.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 HNL 185

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-9.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 HNL 28.32

$0.99 COP 3,223

7.07%

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

$21.4K HNL 573.4K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

18.96%

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

$16.6K HNL 443.9K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-37.65%

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

$133 HNL 3,557

$80.8 COP 263.1K

64.62%

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

$10.04 HNL 268

$9.95 COP 32.4K

0.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.96 HNL 1,336

$24.18 COP 78.7K

106.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 HNL 1,036

$25.08 COP 81.7K

54.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.93 HNL 560

$19.15 COP 62.3K

9.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.59 HNL 149

$3.98 COP 13.0K

40.45%

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

$145 HNL 3,864

$305 COP 993.5K

-52.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,188 HNL 85.2K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-47.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.1 HNL 1,394

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-10.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.66 HNL 1,007

$32.20 COP 104.8K

16.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 HNL 2,258

$101 COP 327.9K

-16.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.0 HNL 2,513

$108 COP 350.8K

-12.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$552 HNL 14.8K

$477 COP 1.6M

15.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 HNL 11.2K

$376 COP 1.2M

10.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$890 HNL 23.8K

$845 COP 2.7M

5.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$720 HNL 19.2K

$730 COP 2.4M

-1.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$999 HNL 26.7K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-68.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$431 HNL 11.5K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-68.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$594 HNL 15.9K

$617 COP 2.0M

-3.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.24

13.43

-16.31%

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

Last update for San Pedro Sula: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $552 in San Pedro Sula versus $477 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 4% 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 $31.00 in San Pedro Sula versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $268 in San Pedro Sula vs $193 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 – San Pedro Sula 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 $1,858 per month in San Pedro Sula and $1,546 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 $31.00 in San Pedro Sula and $33.00 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 $1,239 in San Pedro Sula and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in San Pedro Sula at $1,239. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Pedro Sula 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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Pedro Sula makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.