Cost of Living Comparison Between Jena and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Jena and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,773 per month in Jena vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,661 per month in Jena vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,549 per month in Jena vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Jena costs about 75% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Jena sits 32% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.70 €10.06

$5.99 COP 21.4K

95.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.5 €49.44

$32.86 COP 117.4K

74.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.18 €9.62

$7.09 COP 25.3K

57.69%

Cappuccino

$4.02 €3.45

$1.71 COP 6,115

135.09%

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

$3.24 €2.79

$1.10 COP 3,924

194.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 €2.90

$0.78 COP 2,781

332.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.15 €4.43

$1.68 COP 5,997

206.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 €4.10

$3.07 COP 11.0K

55.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.09 COP 3,906

13.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 €1.88

$1.26 COP 4,508

73.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 €2.80

$1.38 COP 4,922

136.23%

Eggs

$3.86 €3.32

$2.19 COP 7,827

76.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.56 €12.52

$4.40 COP 15.7K

230.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.66 €11.75

$5.63 COP 20.1K

142.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.24 €16.55

$8.89 COP 31.8K

116.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 €2.84

$2.34 COP 8,349

41.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.06 COP 3,777

61.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 €1.94

$1.50 COP 5,374

50.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.43 €3.81

$1.38 COP 4,924

221.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 €1.28

$1.15 COP 4,111

29.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.16 COP 4,155

30.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 €1.53

$0.89 COP 3,182

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.84 COP 2,997

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.76 €8.40

$2.28 COP 8,145

328.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.86 €5.04

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-44.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 €0.88

$1.20 COP 4,284

-14.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.34

$2.47 COP 8,824

-37.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 €2.54

$0.86 COP 3,056

243.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.3 €57.9

$41.40 COP 147.9K

62.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.53 €3.90

$1.47 COP 5,264

208.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.08 €2.65

$1.96 COP 7,009

57.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.46 €29.64

$7.74 COP 27.6K

345.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.74

$0.95 COP 3,409

112.63%

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

$31.8K €27.4K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

75.51%

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

$36.8K €31.7K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

38.92%

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

$329 €283

$82.3 COP 293.7K

300.21%

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

$31.75 €27.31

$9.50 COP 33.9K

234.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 €44.26

$24.23 COP 86.5K

112.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.54 €29.71

$25.89 COP 92.4K

33.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.90 €19.69

$19.00 COP 67.9K

20.53%

Cinema Ticket

$10.52 €9.05

$3.93 COP 14.0K

167.68%

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

$349 €301

$309 COP 1.1M

12.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K €12.4K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

141.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.0 €74.8

$58.7 COP 209.5K

48.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.54 €20.25

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-27.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 €109

$103 COP 366.4K

23.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €105

$108 COP 387.2K

12.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$783 €674

$476 COP 1.7M

64.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 €407

$379 COP 1.4M

24.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,251 €1,076

$838 COP 3.0M

49.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$867 €746

$724 COP 2.6M

19.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,867 €2,467

$1,211 COP 4.3M

136.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,389 €2,915

$512 COP 1.8M

562.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.98

13.43

-70.36%

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

Last update for Jena: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $783 in Jena versus $476 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 562% higher in Jena, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Jena versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $338 vs $188 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Jena vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jena costs about 75% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,660 per month in Jena and $1,519 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.

Kindergarten costs $349 per month in Jena and $309 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 79% more in Jena, 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 $1,013, than in Jena at $1,773. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jena it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,013 versus $1,773 in Jena. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Jena makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.