Cost of Living Comparison Between Jacksonville, NC and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Jacksonville, NC and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,551 in Jacksonville, NC versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,314 in Jacksonville, NC versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,077 in Jacksonville, NC versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Jacksonville, NC is roughly 151% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jacksonville, NC is 90% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.69 $17.69

$5.95 COP 21.2K

197.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 $54.7

$33.33 COP 118.9K

64.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.14 $10.14

$7.23 COP 25.8K

40.25%

Cappuccino

$4.79 $4.79

$1.63 COP 5,811

193.87%

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

$2.54 $2.54

$1.09 COP 3,904

133.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$0.73 COP 2,604

156.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.89 $4.89

$1.74 COP 6,197

181.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.40 $6.40

$3.23 COP 11.5K

98.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.05 COP 3,742

-10.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.29 COP 4,614

66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$1.32 COP 4,718

225.00%

Eggs

$4.50 $4.50

$2.27 COP 8,101

98.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.96 $11.96

$4.35 COP 15.5K

174.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.41 $14.41

$5.88 COP 21.0K

145.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.76 $27.76

$8.61 COP 30.7K

222.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.25 COP 8,015

-4.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.07 COP 3,814

35.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$1.52 COP 5,438

229.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$1.42 COP 5,073

151.41%

Potato (1kg)

$7.58 $7.58

$1.17 COP 4,173

547.86%

Onion (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$1.17 COP 4,166

210.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.40 $3.40

$0.89 COP 3,163

282.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$0.90 COP 3,215

111.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.59 $10.59

$2.25 COP 8,008

370.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.78 $13.78

$11.04 COP 39.4K

24.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.14 COP 4,063

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 $6.94

$2.38 COP 8,483

191.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.84 COP 2,979

140.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.41 COP 5,019

73.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.90 COP 6,779

24.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.61 $28.61

$7.75 COP 27.6K

269.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.01 COP 3,586

-22.77%

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

$28.9K $28.9K

$17.6K COP 62.7M

64.20%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$26.5K COP 94.5M

3.73%

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

$170 $170

$83.7 COP 298.4K

103.31%

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

$56.1 $56.1

$9.45 COP 33.7K

493.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.0 $78.0

$24.11 COP 86.0K

223.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.24 $38.24

$25.31 COP 90.3K

51.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$13.91 $13.91

$4.10 COP 14.6K

239.27%

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

$911 $911

$312 COP 1.1M

192.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$5,993 COP 21.4M

285.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.91 $29.91

$58.0 COP 207.0K

-48.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.91 $39.91

$32.56 COP 116.1K

22.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 $80.7

$99.6 COP 355.3K

-19.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.9 $74.9

$109 COP 387.1K

-30.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 $1,204

$482 COP 1.7M

149.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,369 $1,369

$379 COP 1.4M

260.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,588 $1,588

$837 COP 3.0M

89.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,551 $1,551

$723 COP 2.6M

114.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,914 $1,914

$2,840 COP 10.1M

-32.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,840 $6,840

$1,223 COP 4.4M

459.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,231 $2,231

$541 COP 1.9M

312.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.33

13.43

-52.87%

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

Last update for Jacksonville, NC: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,204 in Jacksonville, NC and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jacksonville, NC pays 312% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $55.0 in Jacksonville, NC vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $431 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

Jacksonville, NC vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jacksonville, NC and Medellin differ by about 151% in total monthly costs ($2,551 vs $1,017 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Jacksonville, NC pays 312% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,204 in Jacksonville, NC versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $911 in Jacksonville, NC versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $55.0 in Jacksonville, NC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $2,551 in Jacksonville, NC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Jacksonville, NC. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 151% less than in Jacksonville, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.