Cost of Living Comparison Between May Pen and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between May Pen and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $646 in May Pen versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,006 in May Pen versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,366 in May Pen versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in May Pen costs roughly 37% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: May Pen 52% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 JMD 337

$1.05 COP 3,423

103.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 JMD 606

$1.30 COP 4,236

195.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.08 JMD 486

$1.40 COP 4,544

120.00%

Eggs

$3.32 JMD 524

$2.16 COP 7,046

53.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.42 JMD 1,171

$5.88 COP 19.1K

26.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.10 JMD 805

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-40.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 JMD 254

$2.28 COP 7,425

-29.39%

Banana (1kg)

$4.98 JMD 785

$1.11 COP 3,603

348.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.43 JMD 1,014

$1.53 COP 4,982

320.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 JMD 304

$1.35 COP 4,410

42.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 JMD 305

$1.13 COP 3,674

70.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 JMD 288

$1.13 COP 3,692

61.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 JMD 485

$0.85 COP 2,753

262.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 JMD 448

$0.91 COP 2,975

212.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 JMD 356

$1.20 COP 3,909

87.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 JMD 139

$0.84 COP 2,727

4.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 JMD 220

$0.99 COP 3,223

40.40%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

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

$42.49 JMD 6,705

$9.95 COP 32.4K

327.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.56 JMD 6,085

$24.18 COP 78.7K

59.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$313 JMD 49.4K

$305 COP 993.4K

2.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.48 JMD 2,443

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-73.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.50 JMD 3,393

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-33.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.10 JMD 6,327

$101 COP 327.9K

-60.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.5 JMD 8,448

$108 COP 350.8K

-50.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 JMD 28.1K

$477 COP 1.6M

-62.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 JMD 34.8K

$376 COP 1.2M

-41.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$562 JMD 88.6K

$845 COP 2.7M

-33.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 JMD 68.1K

$730 COP 2.4M

-40.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for May Pen: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $178 in May Pen and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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

May Pen vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

May Pen wins on cost – living expenses run 59% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making May Pen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $970 in May Pen and $1,546 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $178 in May Pen versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $646 per month in May Pen versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 44% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $646 in May Pen versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in May Pen but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes May Pen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but May Pen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $646 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes May Pen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find May Pen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.