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 $1,215 per month in San Pedro Sula vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,842 per month in San Pedro Sula vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,469 per month in San Pedro Sula vs $2,192 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 9% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.66 HNL 204

$5.99 COP 21.4K

27.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.10 HNL 828

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-5.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 HNL 231

$7.09 COP 25.3K

22.43%

Cappuccino

$2.17 HNL 57.8

$1.71 COP 6,115

26.90%

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

$1.37 HNL 36.61

$1.10 COP 3,924

24.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 HNL 29.52

$0.78 COP 2,781

42.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 HNL 51.6

$1.68 COP 5,997

15.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 HNL 85.7

$3.07 COP 11.0K

4.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 HNL 39.14

$1.09 COP 3,906

34.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 HNL 52.2

$1.26 COP 4,508

55.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 HNL 41.31

$1.38 COP 4,922

12.32%

Eggs

$2.51 HNL 66.8

$2.19 COP 7,827

14.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 HNL 238

$4.40 COP 15.7K

102.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.95 HNL 159

$5.63 COP 20.1K

5.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.98 HNL 293

$8.89 COP 31.8K

23.51%

Apples (1kg)

$4.27 HNL 114

$2.34 COP 8,349

82.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 HNL 42.01

$1.06 COP 3,777

49.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.94 HNL 105

$1.50 COP 5,374

162.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 HNL 53.7

$1.38 COP 4,924

46.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 HNL 60.5

$1.15 COP 4,111

97.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 HNL 66.8

$1.16 COP 4,155

116.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 HNL 21.92

$0.89 COP 3,182

-7.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 HNL 43.21

$0.84 COP 2,997

92.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.14 HNL 83.6

$2.28 COP 8,145

37.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.99 HNL 346

$10.64 COP 38.0K

22.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 HNL 29.46

$1.20 COP 4,284

-7.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 HNL 43.03

$2.47 COP 8,824

-34.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 HNL 15.50

$0.86 COP 3,056

-32.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.20 HNL 991

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-10.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.75 HNL 99.8

$1.47 COP 5,264

155.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 HNL 37.98

$1.96 COP 7,009

-27.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.19 HNL 192

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-7.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 HNL 27.95

$0.95 COP 3,409

10.53%

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

$21.5K HNL 573.7K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

18.82%

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

$16.4K HNL 435.4K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-38.26%

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

$135 HNL 3,588

$82.3 COP 293.7K

63.83%

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

$10.17 HNL 271

$9.50 COP 33.9K

7.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.79 HNL 1,326

$24.23 COP 86.5K

105.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.17 HNL 1,043

$25.89 COP 92.4K

51.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.81 HNL 554

$19.00 COP 67.9K

9.53%

Cinema Ticket

$5.41 HNL 144

$3.93 COP 14.0K

37.66%

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

$144 HNL 3,843

$309 COP 1.1M

-53.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,288 HNL 87.6K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-44.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 HNL 1,343

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-14.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.13 HNL 989

$32.35 COP 115.5K

14.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 HNL 2,225

$103 COP 366.4K

-18.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.6 HNL 2,492

$108 COP 387.2K

-13.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 HNL 14.8K

$476 COP 1.7M

16.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$416 HNL 11.1K

$379 COP 1.4M

9.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$925 HNL 24.6K

$838 COP 3.0M

10.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$739 HNL 19.7K

$724 COP 2.6M

2.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,031 HNL 27.5K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-63.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$430 HNL 11.4K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-64.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$597 HNL 15.9K

$512 COP 1.8M

16.67%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $556 in San Pedro Sula 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 17% higher in San Pedro Sula, 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 $31.00 in San Pedro Sula versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $266 in San Pedro Sula vs $188 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 $1,823 per month in San Pedro Sula and $1,519 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 $1,215 in San Pedro Sula and $1,013 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 $1,013, than in San Pedro Sula at $1,215. 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.