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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,050 per month in Duncans vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,731 per month in Duncans vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,411 per month in Duncans vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Duncans is about 36% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Duncans sits 24% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.03 JMD 2,518

$8.04 COP 24.8K

99.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.8 JMD 12.1K

$48.29 COP 148.6K

58.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.82 JMD 1,385

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-6.37%

Cappuccino

$5.21 JMD 819

$2.94 COP 9,040

77.21%

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

$1.25 JMD 196

$1.86 COP 5,735

-32.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 JMD 107

$1.46 COP 4,479

-53.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 JMD 341

$3.21 COP 9,882

-32.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 JMD 486

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-45.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.14 JMD 650

$1.44 COP 4,428

187.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 JMD 578

$2.40 COP 7,389

53.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 JMD 260

$1.70 COP 5,228

-2.94%

Eggs

$3.47 JMD 544

$2.89 COP 8,896

20.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.35 JMD 1,782

$10.06 COP 30.9K

12.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.16 JMD 967

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-38.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.14 JMD 1,592

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-28.59%

Apples (1kg)

$6.19 JMD 972

$3.98 COP 12.3K

55.53%

Banana (1kg)

$3.96 JMD 622

$1.58 COP 4,878

150.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.42 JMD 1,165

$2.15 COP 6,624

245.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.10 JMD 488

$2.30 COP 7,078

34.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 JMD 517

$2.00 COP 6,169

64.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 JMD 422

$1.51 COP 4,646

78.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.05 JMD 479

$1.20 COP 3,701

154.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 JMD 227

$1.28 COP 3,946

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.50 JMD 1,492

$3.84 COP 11.8K

147.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.16 JMD 1,753

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-20.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 JMD 447

$1.71 COP 5,256

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 JMD 643

$2.74 COP 8,440

49.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 JMD 193

$1.31 COP 4,016

-6.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.07 JMD 483

$2.17 COP 6,680

41.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.41 JMD 1,007

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-22.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 JMD 221

$1.36 COP 4,172

3.68%

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

$44.9K JMD 7.1M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

63.50%

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

$32.6K JMD 5.1M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-10.73%

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

$177 JMD 27.8K

$169 COP 519.2K

5.01%

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

$29.71 JMD 4,666

$13.57 COP 41.8K

118.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.2 JMD 8,196

$28.32 COP 87.2K

84.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 JMD 2,075

$6.65 COP 20.5K

98.65%

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

$363 JMD 57.0K

$803 COP 2.5M

-54.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,328 JMD 1.3M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-9.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.73 JMD 3,727

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-72.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.30 JMD 4,916

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-47.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

$139 COP 427.5K

-44.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 JMD 16.3K

$102 COP 314.0K

1.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

10.94

-13.62%

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

Last update for Duncans: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77.0 in Duncans versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $300 – 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 56%, 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 $1,576 per month in Duncans and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,050 in Duncans and $1,641 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $363 per month in Duncans and $803 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 $1,050, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.