Cost of Living Comparison Between Duncans and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Duncans and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $880 per month in Duncans vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,432 per month in Duncans vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,985 per month in Duncans vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Duncans is about 13% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Duncans and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Duncans 35% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.56 JMD 1,189

$5.95 COP 21.2K

27.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 JMD 9,945

$33.33 COP 118.9K

89.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.58 JMD 1,349

$7.23 COP 25.8K

18.67%

Cappuccino

$4.32 JMD 680

$1.63 COP 5,811

165.03%

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

$1.30 JMD 205

$1.09 COP 3,904

19.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 JMD 118

$0.73 COP 2,604

2.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 JMD 382

$1.74 COP 6,197

39.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 JMD 498

$3.23 COP 11.5K

-2.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.34 JMD 683

$1.05 COP 3,742

313.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 JMD 547

$1.29 COP 4,614

169.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 JMD 257

$1.32 COP 4,718

23.48%

Eggs

$3.59 JMD 564

$2.27 COP 8,101

58.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.12 JMD 1,748

$4.35 COP 15.5K

155.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 JMD 1,025

$5.88 COP 21.0K

10.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 JMD 1,177

$8.61 COP 30.7K

-13.01%

Apples (1kg)

$6.09 JMD 959

$2.25 COP 8,015

170.67%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 JMD 494

$1.07 COP 3,814

193.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 JMD 657

$1.52 COP 5,438

175.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.04 JMD 478

$1.42 COP 5,073

114.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 JMD 321

$1.17 COP 4,173

74.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 JMD 305

$1.17 COP 4,166

65.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 JMD 470

$0.89 COP 3,163

235.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 JMD 234

$0.90 COP 3,215

65.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.66 JMD 1,362

$2.25 COP 8,008

284.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.33 JMD 1,783

$11.04 COP 39.4K

2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 JMD 451

$1.14 COP 4,063

151.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 JMD 498

$2.38 COP 8,483

33.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 JMD 168

$1.41 COP 5,019

-24.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.09 JMD 486

$1.90 COP 6,779

62.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.44 JMD 1,013

$7.75 COP 27.6K

-16.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 JMD 203

$1.01 COP 3,586

27.72%

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

$42.1K JMD 6.6M

$17.6K COP 62.7M

139.55%

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

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

$26.5K COP 94.5M

24.56%

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

$163 JMD 25.6K

$83.7 COP 298.4K

94.44%

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

$22.31 JMD 3,509

$9.45 COP 33.7K

136.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.5 JMD 7,942

$24.11 COP 86.0K

109.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 JMD 2,032

$4.10 COP 14.6K

215.12%

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

$225 JMD 35.4K

$312 COP 1.1M

-27.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,464 JMD 387.5K

$5,993 COP 21.4M

-58.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.26 JMD 4,130

$58.0 COP 207.0K

-54.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.90 JMD 4,074

$32.56 COP 116.1K

-20.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.3 JMD 11.2K

$99.6 COP 355.3K

-28.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.2 JMD 11.8K

$109 COP 387.1K

-30.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

13.43

-31.87%

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

Last update for Duncans: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Duncans versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 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

Duncans vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 16%, 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 $1,319 per month in Duncans and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $880 in Duncans and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $225 per month in Duncans and $312 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Duncans, where all-in costs run around $880, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Duncans it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Duncans – 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 Duncans. 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.