Cost of Living Comparison Between Waikiki, HI and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Waikiki, HI and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,026 per month in Waikiki, HI vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,514 per month in Waikiki, HI vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,003 per month in Waikiki, HI vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Waikiki, HI costs about 198% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Waikiki, HI sits 125% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.46 $23.46

$5.95 COP 20.6K

294.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.3 $99.3

$33.33 COP 115.1K

198.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.22 $15.22

$7.23 COP 25.0K

110.51%

Cappuccino

$5.76 $5.76

$1.63 COP 5,629

253.37%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$1.09 COP 3,782

237.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 $2.77

$0.73 COP 2,522

279.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.19 $8.19

$1.74 COP 6,003

370.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.95 $8.95

$3.23 COP 11.2K

177.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.05 COP 3,625

52.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.29 COP 4,469

83.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$10.18 $10.18

$1.32 COP 4,570

671.21%

Eggs

$7.61 $7.61

$2.27 COP 7,846

235.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.40 $12.40

$4.35 COP 15.0K

185.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.79 $18.79

$5.88 COP 20.3K

219.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.12 $20.12

$8.61 COP 29.7K

133.68%

Apples (1kg)

$6.89 $6.89

$2.25 COP 7,763

206.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.07 COP 3,695

45.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.46 $6.46

$1.52 COP 5,267

325.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.20 $8.20

$1.42 COP 4,914

477.46%

Potato (1kg)

$5.09 $5.09

$1.17 COP 4,042

335.04%

Onion (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$1.17 COP 4,035

299.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.78 $4.78

$0.89 COP 3,064

437.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$0.90 COP 3,114

228.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.04 $12.04

$2.25 COP 7,757

435.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.28 $20.28

$11.04 COP 38.1K

83.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.14 COP 3,936

112.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.58 $5.58

$2.38 COP 8,216

134.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.84 COP 2,886

132.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.2 $81.2

$41.95 COP 144.9K

93.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 $3.59

$1.41 COP 4,861

154.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.90 COP 6,567

34.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.55 $45.55

$7.75 COP 26.8K

487.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.01 COP 3,473

27.72%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$17.6K COP 60.7M

68.20%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$26.5K COP 91.5M

-6.36%

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

$235 $235

$83.7 COP 289.1K

180.28%

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

$66.6 $66.6

$9.45 COP 32.6K

604.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.3 $67.3

$24.11 COP 83.3K

179.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.64 $42.64

$25.31 COP 87.4K

68.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.1K

Cinema Ticket

$16.14 $16.14

$4.10 COP 14.2K

293.66%

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

$1,497 $1,497

$312 COP 1.1M

379.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.3K $20.3K

$5,993 COP 20.7M

239.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 $56.1

$58.0 COP 200.5K

-3.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.2 $61.2

$32.56 COP 112.5K

87.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 $107

$99.6 COP 344.1K

7.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 $125

$109 COP 375.0K

15.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,584 $1,584

$482 COP 1.7M

228.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 $1,337

$379 COP 1.3M

252.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,674 $2,674

$837 COP 2.9M

219.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,223 $2,223

$723 COP 2.5M

207.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,862 $2,862

$2,840 COP 9.8M

0.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,186 $2,186

$1,223 COP 4.2M

78.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

13.43

-50.93%

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

Last update for Waikiki, HI: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,584 in Waikiki, HI 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99.0 in Waikiki, HI versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $556 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

Waikiki, HI vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Waikiki, HI is pricier by about 198%, 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 $4,539 per month in Waikiki, HI 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 $99.0 in Waikiki, HI 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 $3,026 in Waikiki, HI and $1,017 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 $1,017, than in Waikiki, HI at $3,026. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Waikiki, HI 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, Waikiki, HI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.