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: $713 in May Pen versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $818 in May Pen versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $924 in May Pen versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in May Pen costs roughly 58% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: May Pen is 48% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 JMD 346

$1.36 COP 4,287

61.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.87 JMD 610

$2.39 COP 7,505

61.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 JMD 511

$1.70 COP 5,346

91.18%

Eggs

$3.46 JMD 545

$2.87 COP 9,021

20.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.79 JMD 1,228

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-27.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.19 JMD 817

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-64.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.54 JMD 243

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-62.35%

Banana (1kg)

$5.10 JMD 804

$1.57 COP 4,940

224.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.30 JMD 993

$2.13 COP 6,682

195.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 JMD 292

$2.21 COP 6,959

-16.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 JMD 294

$2.05 COP 6,435

-8.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 JMD 304

$1.50 COP 4,728

28.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.23 JMD 509

$1.19 COP 3,740

171.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 JMD 438

$1.16 COP 3,640

139.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 JMD 358

$1.58 COP 4,978

43.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 JMD 217

$1.30 COP 4,080

6.15%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

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

$176 COP 553.4K

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

$43.22 JMD 6,811

$13.37 COP 42.0K

223.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.7 JMD 8,625

$29.89 COP 94.0K

83.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

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

$793 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.94 JMD 2,512

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-81.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.70 JMD 3,420

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-62.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.25 JMD 6,500

$136 COP 428.4K

-69.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.2 JMD 8,537

$103 COP 324.1K

-47.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 JMD 44.8K

$680 COP 2.1M

-58.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for May Pen: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

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 141% 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 $1,070 in May Pen and $2,574 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $713 per month in May Pen versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 141% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $713 in May Pen versus $1,716 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 $713 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 141% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.