Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Duncans Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Duncans

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,050 in Duncans, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,731 in Duncans, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,411 in Duncans, rent included.

Medellin costs about 56% more than Duncans, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Duncans is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$16.03 JMD 2,518

-49.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$76.8 JMD 12.1K

-37.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$8.82 JMD 1,385

6.80%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$5.21 JMD 819

-43.57%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.25 JMD 196

48.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.68 JMD 107

114.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.17 JMD 341

47.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.09 JMD 486

84.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$4.14 JMD 650

-65.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$3.68 JMD 578

-34.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.65 JMD 260

3.03%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$3.47 JMD 544

-16.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$11.35 JMD 1,782

-11.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$6.16 JMD 967

61.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$10.14 JMD 1,592

40.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$6.19 JMD 972

-35.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$3.96 JMD 622

-60.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$7.42 JMD 1,165

-71.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$3.10 JMD 488

-25.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$3.29 JMD 517

-39.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.69 JMD 422

-43.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$3.05 JMD 479

-60.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.44 JMD 227

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$9.50 JMD 1,492

-59.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$11.16 JMD 1,753

25.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.85 JMD 447

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$4.09 JMD 643

-33.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$1.23 JMD 193

6.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$3.07 JMD 483

-29.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$6.41 JMD 1,007

29.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.41 JMD 221

-3.55%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$44.9K JMD 7.1M

-38.84%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$32.6K JMD 5.1M

12.03%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$177 JMD 27.8K

-4.77%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$29.71 JMD 4,666

-54.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$52.2 JMD 8,196

-45.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$13.21 JMD 2,075

-49.66%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$363 JMD 57.0K

121.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$8,328 JMD 1.3M

10.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$23.73 JMD 3,727

268.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$31.30 JMD 4,916

89.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

78.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$104 JMD 16.3K

-1.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.45

15.77%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Duncans: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $77.0 in Duncans. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $383 – 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 Duncans: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 56%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,576 in Duncans. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $1,050 in Duncans. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Medellin and $363 in Duncans. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Duncans, where all-in costs run around $1,050, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Duncans it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Duncans – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Duncans. 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.