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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $894 per month in Duncans vs $1,014 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,423 per month in Duncans vs $1,596 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,952 per month in Duncans vs $2,178 in Medellin, rent included.

Duncans is about 12% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Duncans and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Duncans 34% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.38 JMD 1,168

$6.14 COP 22.1K

20.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.7 JMD 9,765

$33.05 COP 119.0K

86.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 JMD 1,350

$7.32 COP 26.4K

16.53%

Cappuccino

$4.38 JMD 693

$1.66 COP 5,973

163.86%

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

$1.36 JMD 215

$1.10 COP 3,978

23.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 JMD 118

$0.78 COP 2,816

-5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 JMD 391

$1.71 COP 6,174

44.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 JMD 492

$3.17 COP 11.4K

-1.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.28 JMD 677

$1.11 COP 4,003

285.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 JMD 574

$1.31 COP 4,709

177.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 JMD 244

$1.38 COP 4,969

11.59%

Eggs

$3.46 JMD 548

$2.22 COP 7,992

55.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.88 JMD 1,721

$4.34 COP 15.6K

150.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 JMD 1,003

$5.80 COP 20.9K

9.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 JMD 1,228

$8.98 COP 32.3K

-13.59%

Apples (1kg)

$6.04 JMD 956

$2.26 COP 8,146

167.26%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 JMD 488

$1.11 COP 4,014

178.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 JMD 662

$1.46 COP 5,273

186.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 JMD 486

$1.37 COP 4,918

124.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 JMD 333

$1.11 COP 4,000

89.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 JMD 320

$1.16 COP 4,190

74.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.11 JMD 492

$0.89 COP 3,204

249.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 JMD 229

$0.87 COP 3,117

65.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.00 JMD 1,424

$2.35 COP 8,476

282.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 JMD 1,817

$10.86 COP 39.1K

5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 JMD 459

$1.20 COP 4,321

141.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 JMD 481

$2.48 COP 8,927

22.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,836

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 146.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 JMD 170

$1.42 COP 5,125

-24.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.23 JMD 511

$1.91 COP 6,885

69.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 JMD 993

$7.65 COP 27.6K

-17.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 195

$0.97 COP 3,482

26.80%

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

$43.1K JMD 6.8M

$18.1K COP 65.2M

137.89%

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

$34.2K JMD 5.4M

$26.3K COP 94.8M

29.92%

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

$163 JMD 25.8K

$81.3 COP 292.9K

100.17%

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

$22.03 JMD 3,487

$9.63 COP 34.7K

128.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 JMD 8,016

$24.36 COP 87.8K

107.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.02 COP 93.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.1K

Cinema Ticket

$13.02 JMD 2,061

$3.89 COP 14.0K

234.70%

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

$229 JMD 36.3K

$304 COP 1.1M

-24.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,435 JMD 385.3K

$5,902 COP 21.3M

-58.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.13 JMD 4,135

$58.7 COP 211.4K

-55.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.25 JMD 3,996

$32.48 COP 117.0K

-22.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.0 JMD 11.2K

$102 COP 366.5K

-30.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.2 JMD 12.1K

$108 COP 389.6K

-29.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 COP 3.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 COP 2.0M

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: April 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $0 in Duncans versus $474 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 $62 in Duncans versus $33 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 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 13%, 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 $1,341 per month in Duncans and $1,522 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $894 in Duncans and $1,014 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $229 per month in Duncans and $304 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 $894, than in Medellin at $1,014. 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.