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: $765 in Mandeville versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,279 in Mandeville versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,794 in Mandeville versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Mandeville costs roughly 26% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mandeville 43% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.17 JMD 974

$6.16 COP 20.1K

0.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.0 JMD 9,933

$32.60 COP 106.1K

93.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.63 JMD 1,362

$7.34 COP 23.9K

17.57%

Cappuccino

$2.16 JMD 341

$1.72 COP 5,599

25.58%

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

$0.99 JMD 156

$1.05 COP 3,420

-5.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 JMD 113

$0.77 COP 2,515

-6.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 JMD 348

$1.69 COP 5,487

30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 JMD 441

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-11.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.30 JMD 678

$1.05 COP 3,423

309.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 JMD 339

$1.30 COP 4,236

65.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 JMD 255

$1.40 COP 4,544

15.00%

Eggs

$3.47 JMD 547

$2.16 COP 7,046

60.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.22 JMD 1,771

$4.39 COP 14.3K

155.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 JMD 1,020

$5.88 COP 19.1K

9.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.83 JMD 1,235

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-9.38%

Apples (1kg)

$6.00 JMD 947

$2.28 COP 7,425

163.16%

Banana (1kg)

$3.10 JMD 490

$1.11 COP 3,603

179.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 JMD 654

$1.53 COP 4,982

170.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 JMD 458

$1.35 COP 4,410

114.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 JMD 329

$1.13 COP 3,674

84.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 JMD 320

$1.13 COP 3,692

79.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 JMD 472

$0.85 COP 2,753

251.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 JMD 234

$0.91 COP 2,975

63.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.26 JMD 1,303

$2.34 COP 7,629

252.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.18 JMD 1,765

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-9.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 JMD 436

$1.20 COP 3,909

130.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 JMD 488

$2.49 COP 8,104

24.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 JMD 177

$1.42 COP 4,623

-21.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.21 JMD 506

$1.92 COP 6,235

67.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 JMD 963

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-20.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 195

$0.99 COP 3,223

24.24%

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

$42.6K JMD 6.7M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

136.35%

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

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

26.79%

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

$92.9 JMD 14.7K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

14.90%

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

$22.15 JMD 3,495

$9.95 COP 32.4K

122.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 JMD 7,943

$24.18 COP 78.7K

108.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.77 JMD 1,700

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-43.76%

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 JMD 2,085

$3.98 COP 13.0K

231.91%

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

$226 JMD 35.7K

$305 COP 993.4K

-25.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,532 JMD 399.5K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-58.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.32 JMD 4,153

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-54.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.02 JMD 4,105

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-19.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.6 JMD 11.3K

$101 COP 327.9K

-28.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 JMD 12.1K

$108 COP 350.8K

-29.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$463 JMD 73.0K

$477 COP 1.6M

-2.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,768 JMD 279.0K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-45.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$497 JMD 78.4K

$617 COP 2.0M

-19.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

13.43

-31.87%

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

Last update for Mandeville: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $463 in Mandeville and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 24% 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: $63.0 in Mandeville vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $193 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 Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 24% 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: $463 in Mandeville versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $226 in Mandeville versus $305 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 $63.0 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $765 in Mandeville versus $1,031 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 35% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.