Cost of Living Comparison Between Jamestown and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Jamestown and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,254 per month in Jamestown vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,736 per month in Jamestown vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,218 per month in Jamestown vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Jamestown costs about 21% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Jamestown and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Jamestown 6% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.07 SHP 11.89

$5.92 COP 21.5K

171.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.49 SHP 35.88

$32.75 COP 119.1K

48.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.89 SHP 6.58

$7.20 COP 26.2K

23.47%

Cappuccino

$2.98 SHP 2.20

$1.70 COP 6,186

75.29%

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

$1.14 SHP 0.84

$1.10 COP 3,996

3.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 SHP 0.89

$0.72 COP 2,625

68.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 SHP 3.47

$1.67 COP 6,067

180.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 SHP 1.95

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-14.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 SHP 1.40

$1.06 COP 3,837

78.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 SHP 1.21

$1.25 COP 4,531

31.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 SHP 1.03

$1.39 COP 5,060

Eggs

$4.32 SHP 3.20

$2.26 COP 8,229

91.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 SHP 5.97

$4.33 COP 15.8K

86.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.80 SHP 7.99

$5.84 COP 21.2K

84.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 SHP 7.99

$8.83 COP 32.1K

22.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 SHP 2.06

$0.85 COP 3,080

227.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 SHP 1.67

$0.91 COP 3,305

147.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.03 SHP 8.16

$2.33 COP 8,477

373.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.62 SHP 30.06

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-1.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 SHP 2.07

$1.44 COP 5,223

93.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$109 SHP 80.7

$24.16 COP 87.9K

351.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$6.90 SHP 5.11

$25.88 COP 94.1K

-73.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.55 SHP 30.75

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-28.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.61 SHP 15.25

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-35.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.98 SHP 34.76

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-52.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$676 SHP 500

$487 COP 1.8M

38.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 SHP 461

$368 COP 1.3M

69.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$700 SHP 518

$826 COP 3.0M

-15.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$718 SHP 531

$716 COP 2.6M

0.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.2

13.43

-53.83%

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

Last update for Jamestown: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $676 in Jamestown versus $487 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Jamestown versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $190 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Jamestown vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Jamestown is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,881 per month in Jamestown and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Jamestown, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Jamestown at $1,254. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jamestown it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Jamestown makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.