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: $875 in Green Island versus $1,014 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,445 in Green Island versus $1,596 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,014 in Green Island versus $2,178 in Medellin.

Living in Green Island costs roughly 14% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Green Island 35% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.65 JMD 1,211

$6.14 COP 22.1K

24.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.1 JMD 9,978

$33.05 COP 119.0K

90.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 JMD 1,409

$7.32 COP 26.4K

21.58%

Cappuccino

$4.45 JMD 704

$1.66 COP 5,973

168.07%

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

$1.37 JMD 217

$1.10 COP 3,978

24.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 JMD 118

$0.78 COP 2,816

-3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 JMD 394

$1.71 COP 6,174

45.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 JMD 499

$3.17 COP 11.4K

-0.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.43 JMD 701

$1.11 COP 4,003

299.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.64 JMD 577

$1.31 COP 4,709

177.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 JMD 256

$1.38 COP 4,969

17.39%

Eggs

$3.44 JMD 544

$2.22 COP 7,992

54.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.15 JMD 1,764

$4.34 COP 15.6K

156.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 JMD 1,021

$5.80 COP 20.9K

11.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.52 JMD 1,191

$8.98 COP 32.3K

-16.26%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 JMD 959

$2.26 COP 8,146

168.14%

Banana (1kg)

$3.05 JMD 482

$1.11 COP 4,014

174.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 JMD 678

$1.46 COP 5,273

193.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.95 JMD 466

$1.37 COP 4,918

115.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 JMD 321

$1.11 COP 4,000

82.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 JMD 308

$1.16 COP 4,190

68.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 JMD 485

$0.89 COP 3,204

243.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 JMD 228

$0.87 COP 3,117

65.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.55 JMD 1,354

$2.35 COP 8,476

263.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.58 JMD 1,833

$10.86 COP 39.1K

6.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 JMD 438

$1.20 COP 4,321

130.83%

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)

$1.09 JMD 172

$1.42 COP 5,125

-23.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 JMD 515

$1.91 COP 6,885

70.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 JMD 966

$7.65 COP 27.6K

-20.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 JMD 197

$0.97 COP 3,482

28.87%

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

$42.6K JMD 6.7M

$18.1K COP 65.2M

135.58%

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

$34.2K JMD 5.4M

$26.3K COP 94.8M

30.02%

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

$164 JMD 26.0K

$81.3 COP 292.9K

101.68%

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

$22.48 JMD 3,558

$9.63 COP 34.7K

133.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.2 JMD 7,947

$24.36 COP 87.8K

106.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.02 COP 93.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.1K

Cinema Ticket

$13.13 JMD 2,078

$3.89 COP 14.0K

237.53%

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

$228 JMD 36.2K

$304 COP 1.1M

-24.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,498 JMD 395.4K

$5,902 COP 21.3M

-57.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.89 JMD 4,097

$58.7 COP 211.4K

-55.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.22 JMD 3,992

$32.48 COP 117.0K

-22.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 JMD 11.4K

$102 COP 366.5K

-29.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 JMD 11.8K

$108 COP 389.6K

-30.91%

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 Green Island: April 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $0 in Green Island and $474 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63 in Green Island vs $33 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 16% in total monthly costs ($875 vs $1,014 including rent). Green Island is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,313 in Green Island and $1,522 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 85% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $875 per month in Green Island versus $1,014 in Medellin – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $875 in Green Island versus $1,014 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 16% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.