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 $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,284 in Mandeville versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,803 in Mandeville versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Mandeville costs roughly 25% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mandeville 43% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 JMD 963

$5.99 COP 21.4K

2.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 JMD 9,952

$32.86 COP 117.4K

93.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 JMD 1,401

$7.09 COP 25.3K

26.09%

Cappuccino

$2.14 JMD 336

$1.71 COP 6,115

25.15%

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

$0.98 JMD 153

$1.10 COP 3,924

-10.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 JMD 120

$0.78 COP 2,781

-2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 JMD 352

$1.68 COP 5,997

33.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 JMD 435

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-9.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.23 JMD 663

$1.09 COP 3,906

288.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 JMD 326

$1.26 COP 4,508

65.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 JMD 245

$1.38 COP 4,922

13.77%

Eggs

$3.53 JMD 554

$2.19 COP 7,827

61.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.21 JMD 1,757

$4.40 COP 15.7K

154.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 JMD 991

$5.63 COP 20.1K

12.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 JMD 1,190

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-14.51%

Apples (1kg)

$6.08 JMD 952

$2.34 COP 8,349

159.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 JMD 469

$1.06 COP 3,777

182.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.15 JMD 650

$1.50 COP 5,374

176.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 JMD 470

$1.38 COP 4,924

117.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 JMD 316

$1.15 COP 4,111

75.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 JMD 310

$1.16 COP 4,155

70.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 JMD 465

$0.89 COP 3,182

233.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 JMD 234

$0.84 COP 2,997

77.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.34 JMD 1,306

$2.28 COP 8,145

265.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.61 JMD 1,819

$10.64 COP 38.0K

9.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 JMD 456

$1.20 COP 4,284

142.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 JMD 505

$2.47 COP 8,824

30.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 JMD 170

$1.47 COP 5,264

-25.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.09 JMD 484

$1.96 COP 7,009

57.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.12 JMD 959

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-20.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 JMD 200

$0.95 COP 3,409

34.74%

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

$43.0K JMD 6.7M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

137.39%

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

$33.5K JMD 5.2M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

26.50%

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

$93.0 JMD 14.6K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

13.12%

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

$21.59 JMD 3,383

$9.50 COP 33.9K

127.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 JMD 7,874

$24.23 COP 86.5K

107.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.81 JMD 1,694

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-43.11%

Cinema Ticket

$12.90 JMD 2,022

$3.93 COP 14.0K

228.24%

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

$228 JMD 35.6K

$309 COP 1.1M

-26.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,457 JMD 384.9K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-58.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.55 JMD 4,160

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-54.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.78 JMD 4,039

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-20.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 JMD 11.1K

$103 COP 366.4K

-31.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

$108 COP 387.2K

-28.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$470 JMD 73.6K

$476 COP 1.7M

-1.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,799 JMD 281.9K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-35.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$511 JMD 80.0K

$512 COP 1.8M

-0.25%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $470 in Mandeville and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 0% 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: $64.0 in Mandeville vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $335 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

Mandeville vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandeville is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medellin earns 0% less. 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: $470 in Mandeville versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $228 in Mandeville versus $309 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 $64.0 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $765 in Mandeville versus $1,013 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 32% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.