Cost of Living Comparison Between Jakobstad and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Jakobstad and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,711 in Jakobstad versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Jakobstad versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,403 in Jakobstad versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Jakobstad is roughly 69% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jakobstad is 28% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.07 €12.11

$5.99 COP 21.3K

134.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.4 €75.2

$32.86 COP 116.9K

165.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.28 €9.71

$7.09 COP 25.2K

59.10%

Cappuccino

$4.38 €3.77

$1.71 COP 6,093

156.14%

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

$2.75 €2.37

$1.10 COP 3,910

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 €1.46

$0.78 COP 2,771

117.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.40 €6.37

$1.68 COP 5,976

340.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.59 €7.39

$3.07 COP 10.9K

179.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.09 COP 3,892

27.52%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 €2.60

$1.26 COP 4,492

139.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 €2.05

$1.38 COP 4,905

72.46%

Eggs

$3.40 €2.93

$2.19 COP 7,799

55.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.40 €7.23

$4.40 COP 15.7K

90.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.90 €12.83

$5.63 COP 20.0K

164.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.16 €19.08

$8.89 COP 31.6K

149.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$2.34 COP 8,319

10.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 €1.79

$1.06 COP 3,764

96.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 €2.38

$1.50 COP 5,355

84.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 €3.31

$1.38 COP 4,906

178.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 €1.27

$1.15 COP 4,097

28.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.16 COP 4,141

67.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 €2.58

$0.89 COP 3,170

237.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 €1.70

$0.84 COP 2,986

135.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.72 €10.09

$2.28 COP 8,116

414.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.48 €14.19

$10.64 COP 37.9K

54.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.24 €2.79

$1.20 COP 4,268

170.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 €2.99

$2.47 COP 8,793

40.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 €3.01

$0.86 COP 3,045

305.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.9 €57.6

$41.40 COP 147.3K

61.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 €5.76

$1.47 COP 5,245

355.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 €1.06

$1.96 COP 6,984

-37.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$55.3 €47.57

$7.74 COP 27.5K

613.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.80

$0.95 COP 3,397

120.00%

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

$36.6K €31.5K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

102.01%

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

$40.0K €34.4K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

51.06%

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

$83.3 €71.7

$82.3 COP 292.7K

1.25%

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

$29.53 €25.42

$9.50 COP 33.8K

210.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.19 €20.83

$24.23 COP 86.2K

-0.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.12 €37.98

$25.89 COP 92.1K

70.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.20 €20.83

$19.00 COP 67.6K

27.37%

Cinema Ticket

$18.48 €15.91

$3.93 COP 14.0K

370.23%

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

$324 €279

$309 COP 1.1M

4.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,945 €6,840

$5,965 COP 21.2M

33.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.6 €75.4

$58.7 COP 208.7K

49.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.88 €36.91

$32.35 COP 115.1K

32.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 €94.3

$103 COP 365.1K

6.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 €133

$108 COP 385.8K

42.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 €411

$476 COP 1.7M

0.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 €457

$379 COP 1.3M

40.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$900 €775

$838 COP 3.0M

7.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$649 €558

$724 COP 2.6M

-10.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,146 €3,569

$2,791 COP 9.9M

48.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,254 €1,941

$1,211 COP 4.3M

86.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,312 €1,991

$512 COP 1.8M

351.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.4

13.43

-89.58%

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

Last update for Jakobstad: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $478 in Jakobstad and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jakobstad pays 352% 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: $87.0 in Jakobstad vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $389 vs $188 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

Jakobstad vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jakobstad and Medellin differ by about 69% in total monthly costs ($1,711 vs $1,013 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Jakobstad pays 352% 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: $478 in Jakobstad versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 62% less than in Jakobstad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $324 in Jakobstad versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,711 in Jakobstad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Jakobstad. 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.

Safety-wise, Jakobstad and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Jakobstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.