Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cave Valley Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cave Valley

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,018 in Medellin versus $880 in Cave Valley.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,609 in Medellin versus $1,428 in Cave Valley.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,200 in Medellin versus $1,977 in Cave Valley.

Living in Medellin is roughly 16% more expensive than in Cave Valley, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Cave Valley 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$7.37 JMD 1,160

-19.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.5K

$63.1 JMD 9,937

-47.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$8.54 JMD 1,345

-16.63%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,484

$4.36 JMD 686

-60.78%

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

$1.05 COP 3,373

$1.38 JMD 217

-23.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,323

$0.69 JMD 109

4.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,529

$2.55 JMD 402

-32.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$3.04 JMD 479

4.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,425

$4.34 JMD 683

-75.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,213

$3.52 JMD 555

-62.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,277

$1.56 JMD 246

-14.74%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,334

$3.43 JMD 540

-33.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$11.15 JMD 1,755

-60.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$6.18 JMD 973

-4.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$7.57 JMD 1,193

14.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,541

$6.16 JMD 971

-62.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,544

$3.02 JMD 476

-63.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,721

$4.29 JMD 676

-65.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,437

$3.02 JMD 475

-54.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,772

$2.05 JMD 323

-42.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,763

$2.01 JMD 317

-41.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,904

$3.08 JMD 485

-70.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,707

$1.51 JMD 237

-44.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,486

$8.96 JMD 1,411

-74.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$11.15 JMD 1,756

6.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,692

$2.81 JMD 442

-59.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,787

$3.06 JMD 481

-20.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,700

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,539

$1.13 JMD 178

24.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,157

$3.22 JMD 507

-40.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.2K

$6.11 JMD 961

28.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,035

$1.27 JMD 200

-25.98%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$43.7K JMD 6.9M

-59.21%

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

$27.1K COP 87.1M

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

-19.69%

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

$83.3 COP 267.8K

$161 JMD 25.3K

-48.18%

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

$9.66 COP 31.1K

$22.42 JMD 3,531

-56.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.9K

$51.5 JMD 8,107

-52.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$13.12 JMD 2,066

-68.98%

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

$307 COP 986.0K

$229 JMD 36.0K

34.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$2,522 JMD 397.2K

137.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.8K

$26.14 JMD 4,116

129.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 105.0K

$25.18 JMD 3,965

29.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 325.1K

$70.3 JMD 11.1K

43.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.5K

$75.4 JMD 11.9K

43.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Cave Valley: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $63.0 in Cave Valley for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $350 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

Medellin vs Cave Valley: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Cave Valley differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($1,018 vs $880 including rent). Cave Valley is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,527 in Medellin and $1,320 in Cave Valley 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.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 82% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,018 per month in Medellin versus $880 in Cave Valley – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $880 in Cave Valley versus $1,018 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cave Valley but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cave Valley the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Cave Valley gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.