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: $630 in May Pen versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $973 in May Pen versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,316 in May Pen versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in May Pen costs roughly 38% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: May Pen 53% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 JMD 351

$1.09 COP 3,906

105.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 JMD 576

$1.26 COP 4,508

192.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 JMD 498

$1.38 COP 4,922

130.43%

Eggs

$3.46 JMD 542

$2.19 COP 7,827

57.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.63 JMD 1,196

$5.63 COP 20.1K

35.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.09 JMD 797

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-42.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 JMD 240

$2.34 COP 8,349

-34.62%

Banana (1kg)

$5.11 JMD 801

$1.06 COP 3,777

382.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.08 JMD 952

$1.50 COP 5,374

305.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 JMD 299

$1.38 COP 4,924

38.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 JMD 302

$1.15 COP 4,111

67.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 JMD 290

$1.16 COP 4,155

59.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.19 JMD 501

$0.89 COP 3,182

258.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 JMD 454

$0.84 COP 2,997

245.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 JMD 348

$1.20 COP 4,284

85.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 JMD 130

$0.86 COP 3,056

-3.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 JMD 222

$0.95 COP 3,409

48.42%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

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

$41.74 JMD 6,540

$9.50 COP 33.9K

339.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.36 JMD 6,167

$24.23 COP 86.5K

62.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$313 JMD 49.0K

$309 COP 1.1M

1.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.86 JMD 2,485

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-72.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.62 JMD 3,388

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-33.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.73 JMD 6,382

$103 COP 366.4K

-60.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.5 JMD 8,379

$108 COP 387.2K

-50.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 JMD 27.7K

$476 COP 1.7M

-62.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 JMD 33.9K

$379 COP 1.4M

-42.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$563 JMD 88.2K

$838 COP 3.0M

-32.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 JMD 69.5K

$724 COP 2.6M

-38.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $177 in May Pen and $476 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 61% 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 $945 in May Pen and $1,519 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: $177 in May Pen versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $630 per month in May Pen versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 48% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $630 in May Pen versus $1,013 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 $630 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 61% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.