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: $894 in Green Island versus $1,018 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,450 in Green Island versus $1,609 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,006 in Green Island versus $2,200 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

$7.45 JMD 1,174

$5.93 COP 19.1K

25.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 JMD 10.0K

$33.12 COP 106.5K

92.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 JMD 1,367

$7.12 COP 22.9K

21.91%

Cappuccino

$4.40 JMD 694

$1.71 COP 5,484

157.31%

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

$1.36 JMD 214

$1.05 COP 3,373

29.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 JMD 112

$0.72 COP 2,323

-1.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 JMD 384

$1.72 COP 5,529

41.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 JMD 487

$3.17 COP 10.2K

-2.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.29 JMD 676

$1.06 COP 3,425

304.72%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 JMD 572

$1.31 COP 4,213

177.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 JMD 257

$1.33 COP 4,277

22.56%

Eggs

$3.58 JMD 564

$2.28 COP 7,334

57.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.13 JMD 1,752

$4.42 COP 14.2K

151.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 JMD 973

$5.92 COP 19.0K

4.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.47 JMD 1,176

$8.64 COP 27.8K

-13.54%

Apples (1kg)

$5.88 JMD 925

$2.34 COP 7,541

151.28%

Banana (1kg)

$3.05 JMD 480

$1.10 COP 3,544

177.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 JMD 673

$1.47 COP 4,721

190.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.93 JMD 461

$1.38 COP 4,437

112.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 JMD 317

$1.17 COP 3,772

71.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 JMD 317

$1.17 COP 3,763

72.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 JMD 474

$0.90 COP 2,904

234.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 JMD 233

$0.84 COP 2,707

76.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.58 JMD 1,351

$2.33 COP 7,486

268.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.54 JMD 1,818

$11.92 COP 38.3K

-3.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 JMD 438

$1.15 COP 3,692

141.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 JMD 506

$2.42 COP 7,787

33.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,700

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 JMD 175

$1.41 COP 4,539

-21.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 JMD 512

$1.91 COP 6,157

70.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.34 JMD 999

$7.83 COP 25.2K

-19.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 193

$0.94 COP 3,035

30.85%

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

$43.2K JMD 6.8M

$17.8K COP 57.3M

142.33%

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

$33.6K JMD 5.3M

$27.1K COP 87.1M

24.22%

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

$164 JMD 25.8K

$83.3 COP 267.8K

96.95%

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

$22.27 JMD 3,506

$9.66 COP 31.1K

130.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.6 JMD 8,123

$24.22 COP 77.9K

112.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

Cinema Ticket

$13.28 JMD 2,091

$4.07 COP 13.1K

226.29%

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

$226 JMD 35.6K

$307 COP 986.0K

-26.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,522 JMD 397.2K

$5,981 COP 19.2M

-57.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.71 JMD 4,048

$60.0 COP 192.8K

-57.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.41 JMD 4,001

$32.65 COP 105.0K

-22.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.3 JMD 11.2K

$101 COP 325.1K

-29.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.3 JMD 12.0K

$108 COP 347.5K

-29.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 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: July 19, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $64.0 in Green Island vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 vs $192 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 14% in total monthly costs ($894 vs $1,018 including rent). Green Island is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,341 in Green Island and $1,527 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 82% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $894 per month in Green Island versus $1,018 in Medellin – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $894 in Green Island versus $1,018 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 14% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.