Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandeville and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandeville and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $810 in Mandeville versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,410 in Mandeville versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,011 in Mandeville versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Mandeville costs roughly 51% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mandeville is 41% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.21 JMD 975

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-22.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.7 JMD 11.6K

$48.29 COP 148.6K

52.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 JMD 1,404

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-5.10%

Cappuccino

$2.20 JMD 345

$2.94 COP 9,040

-25.17%

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

$1.08 JMD 170

$1.86 COP 5,735

-41.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 JMD 116

$1.46 COP 4,479

-49.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 JMD 338

$3.21 COP 9,882

-33.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 JMD 457

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-49.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.12 JMD 648

$1.44 COP 4,428

186.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 JMD 293

$2.40 COP 7,389

-22.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 JMD 251

$1.70 COP 5,228

-5.88%

Eggs

$3.62 JMD 569

$2.89 COP 8,896

25.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.30 JMD 1,775

$10.06 COP 30.9K

12.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 JMD 1,020

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-34.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.33 JMD 1,623

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-27.25%

Apples (1kg)

$6.25 JMD 982

$3.98 COP 12.3K

57.04%

Banana (1kg)

$3.86 JMD 607

$1.58 COP 4,878

144.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.40 JMD 1,163

$2.15 COP 6,624

244.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 JMD 493

$2.30 COP 7,078

36.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 JMD 512

$2.00 COP 6,169

63.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 JMD 422

$1.51 COP 4,646

78.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.11 JMD 489

$1.20 COP 3,701

159.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 JMD 239

$1.28 COP 3,946

18.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.13 JMD 1,276

$3.84 COP 11.8K

111.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.35 JMD 1,783

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-18.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 JMD 448

$1.71 COP 5,256

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 JMD 646

$2.74 COP 8,440

50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 JMD 187

$1.31 COP 4,016

-9.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.13 JMD 491

$2.17 COP 6,680

44.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 JMD 977

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-24.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 JMD 212

$1.36 COP 4,172

-0.74%

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

$43.4K JMD 6.8M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

57.87%

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

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-8.91%

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

$94.0 JMD 14.8K

$169 COP 519.2K

-44.29%

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

$21.95 JMD 3,448

$13.57 COP 41.8K

61.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 JMD 7,964

$28.32 COP 87.2K

79.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.94 JMD 1,719

$17.22 COP 53.0K

-36.47%

Cinema Ticket

$13.03 JMD 2,047

$6.65 COP 20.5K

95.94%

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

$369 JMD 58.0K

$803 COP 2.5M

-54.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,155 JMD 1.3M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-11.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.13 JMD 3,791

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-72.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.52 JMD 4,952

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-46.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.4 JMD 12.2K

$139 COP 427.5K

-44.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 JMD 16.3K

$102 COP 314.0K

1.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 JMD 73.3K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-56.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,779 JMD 279.4K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-56.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$497 JMD 78.1K

$655 COP 2.0M

-24.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

10.94

-13.62%

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

Last update for Mandeville: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $466 in Mandeville and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 32% 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: $74.0 in Mandeville vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $369 vs $300 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

Mandeville vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandeville is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 103% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 32% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $466 in Mandeville versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $369 in Mandeville versus $803 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mandeville – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $810 in Mandeville versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mandeville but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Mandeville the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mandeville is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mandeville 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 Mandeville gentler on the wallet – expenses run 103% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.