Cost of Living Comparison Between Green Island and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Green Island and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $899 in Green Island versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,446 in Green Island versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,994 in Green Island versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Green Island costs roughly 12% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Green Island 33% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.68 JMD 1,208

$5.95 COP 21.2K

29.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.8 JMD 9,878

$33.33 COP 118.9K

88.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.72 JMD 1,372

$7.23 COP 25.8K

20.61%

Cappuccino

$4.42 JMD 695

$1.63 COP 5,811

171.17%

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

$1.31 JMD 207

$1.09 COP 3,904

20.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 JMD 119

$0.73 COP 2,604

4.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 JMD 391

$1.74 COP 6,197

43.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 504

$3.23 COP 11.5K

-0.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.36 JMD 686

$1.05 COP 3,742

315.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.67 JMD 577

$1.29 COP 4,614

184.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 JMD 244

$1.32 COP 4,718

17.42%

Eggs

$3.57 JMD 562

$2.27 COP 8,101

57.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.26 JMD 1,771

$4.35 COP 15.5K

158.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 JMD 1,013

$5.88 COP 21.0K

9.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.67 JMD 1,206

$8.61 COP 30.7K

-10.92%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 JMD 927

$2.25 COP 8,015

161.78%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 JMD 486

$1.07 COP 3,814

188.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 JMD 662

$1.52 COP 5,438

176.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.89 JMD 455

$1.42 COP 5,073

103.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 JMD 331

$1.17 COP 4,173

79.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 JMD 317

$1.17 COP 4,166

71.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.13 JMD 493

$0.89 COP 3,163

251.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 JMD 228

$0.90 COP 3,215

61.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.83 JMD 1,389

$2.25 COP 8,008

292.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.34 JMD 1,784

$11.04 COP 39.4K

2.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 JMD 437

$1.14 COP 4,063

143.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 JMD 480

$2.38 COP 8,483

28.15%

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)

$3.25 JMD 512

$1.90 COP 6,779

71.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 JMD 970

$7.75 COP 27.6K

-20.39%

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)

$42.3K JMD 6.7M

$17.6K COP 62.7M

140.63%

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

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

$26.5K COP 94.5M

25.54%

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

$165 JMD 25.9K

$83.7 COP 298.4K

96.98%

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

$22.16 JMD 3,486

$9.45 COP 33.7K

134.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.98 JMD 7,862

$24.11 COP 86.0K

107.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 JMD 2,055

$4.10 COP 14.6K

218.78%

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

$224 JMD 35.3K

$312 COP 1.1M

-28.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,478 JMD 389.7K

$5,993 COP 21.4M

-58.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.45 JMD 4,160

$58.0 COP 207.0K

-54.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.69 JMD 4,041

$32.56 COP 116.1K

-21.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.9 JMD 11.0K

$99.6 COP 355.3K

-29.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.3 JMD 11.8K

$109 COP 387.1K

-30.62%

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 Green Island: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $63.0 in Green Island vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $190 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Green Island vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Green Island and Medellin differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($899 vs $1,017 including rent). Green Island is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,348 in Green Island and $1,525 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 86% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $899 per month in Green Island versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $899 in Green Island versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Green Island but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Green Island the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Green Island gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.