Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bull Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bull Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $849 in Bull Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,257 in Bull Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,666 in Bull Bay, rent included.

Medellin costs about 22% more than Bull Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Bull Bay are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Bull Bay 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.5K

$7.30 JMD 1,150

-18.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

$62.2 JMD 9,788

-47.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

$6.34 JMD 999

13.56%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

$1.60 JMD 252

6.25%

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

$0.95 JMD 150

15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

$0.75 JMD 119

-4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

$2.52 JMD 397

-33.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

$2.43 JMD 383

27.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,837

$4.26 JMD 670

-75.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,531

$3.34 JMD 526

-62.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,060

$1.26 JMD 199

10.32%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,229

$3.44 JMD 542

-34.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

$4.88 JMD 769

-11.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

$6.50 JMD 1,024

-10.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

$3.80 JMD 598

132.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

$1.86 JMD 293

20.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

$1.83 JMD 289

-40.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

$2.23 JMD 351

-31.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

$0.97 JMD 153

41.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

$0.99 JMD 155

14.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

$1.54 JMD 242

-27.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

$1.15 JMD 181

-26.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

$0.98 JMD 155

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

$3.65 JMD 575

-36.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

$3.89 JMD 613

186.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

$2.41 JMD 380

-50.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

$2.39 JMD 377

-0.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

$0.91 JMD 143

-13.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,223

$0.98 JMD 155

46.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

$3.10 JMD 489

-38.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

$6.14 JMD 968

30.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

$1.23 JMD 193

-23.58%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

$43.7K JMD 6.9M

-59.01%

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

-19.50%

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

$112 JMD 17.6K

-24.78%

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

$22.05 JMD 3,473

-56.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

$18.83 JMD 2,965

28.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

$30.93 JMD 4,872

-16.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

$13.37 JMD 2,106

-70.68%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$224 JMD 35.2K

37.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

$2,510 JMD 395.4K

135.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

$25.86 JMD 4,073

123.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

$25.44 JMD 4,006

25.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

$69.8 JMD 11.0K

43.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

38.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$216 JMD 34.1K

125.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$154 JMD 24.2K

139.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.15

46.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bull Bay: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $216 in Bull Bay. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $62.0 in Bull Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $234 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Medellin vs Bull Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,034 in Medellin, $849 in Bull Bay – roughly 22% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,273 in Bull Bay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bull Bay, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $849 in Bull Bay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $224 in Bull Bay. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bull Bay, where all-in costs run around $849, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Bull Bay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $849 in Bull Bay to $1,034 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Bull Bay. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.