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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Medellin vs $894 in Duncans, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,596 per month in Medellin vs $1,423 in Duncans, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,178 per month in Medellin vs $1,952 in Duncans, rent included.

Medellin costs about 13% more than Duncans, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Duncans are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Duncans 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 COP 22.1K

$7.38 JMD 1,168

-16.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 COP 119.0K

$61.7 JMD 9,765

-46.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 COP 26.4K

$8.53 JMD 1,350

-14.19%

Cappuccino

$1.66 COP 5,973

$4.38 JMD 693

-62.10%

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

$1.10 COP 3,978

$1.36 JMD 215

-19.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,816

$0.74 JMD 118

5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 COP 6,174

$2.47 JMD 391

-30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 11.4K

$3.11 JMD 492

1.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 4,003

$4.28 JMD 677

-74.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,709

$3.63 JMD 574

-63.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,969

$1.54 JMD 244

-10.39%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 7,992

$3.46 JMD 548

-35.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 COP 15.6K

$10.88 JMD 1,721

-60.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.9K

$6.33 JMD 1,003

-8.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 COP 32.3K

$7.76 JMD 1,228

15.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 COP 8,146

$6.04 JMD 956

-62.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,014

$3.09 JMD 488

-64.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 5,273

$4.18 JMD 662

-65.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,918

$3.07 JMD 486

-55.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,000

$2.10 JMD 333

-47.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,190

$2.02 JMD 320

-42.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,204

$3.11 JMD 492

-71.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 3,117

$1.44 JMD 229

-39.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,476

$9.00 JMD 1,424

-73.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 COP 39.1K

$11.48 JMD 1,817

-5.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,321

$2.90 JMD 459

-58.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,927

$3.04 JMD 481

-18.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,836

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 146.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,125

$1.07 JMD 170

32.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,885

$3.23 JMD 511

-40.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 COP 27.6K

$6.28 JMD 993

21.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,482

$1.23 JMD 195

-21.14%

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

$18.1K COP 65.2M

$43.1K JMD 6.8M

-57.96%

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

$26.3K COP 94.8M

$34.2K JMD 5.4M

-23.03%

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

$81.3 COP 292.9K

$163 JMD 25.8K

-50.04%

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

$9.63 COP 34.7K

$22.03 JMD 3,487

-56.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 COP 87.8K

$50.7 JMD 8,016

-51.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.02 COP 93.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 14.0K

$13.02 JMD 2,061

-70.12%

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

$304 COP 1.1M

$229 JMD 36.3K

32.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,902 COP 21.3M

$2,435 JMD 385.3K

142.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 211.4K

$26.13 JMD 4,135

124.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.48 COP 117.0K

$25.25 JMD 3,996

28.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 366.5K

$71.0 JMD 11.2K

43.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 389.6K

$76.2 JMD 12.1K

41.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 COP 3.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 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 13, 2026

Last update for Duncans: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Medellin versus $0 in Duncans. 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 in Medellin versus $62 in Duncans. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $351 – 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 13%, 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 $1,522 per month in Medellin and $1,341 in Duncans. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,014 in Medellin and $894 in Duncans. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $304 per month in Medellin and $229 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 $894, than in Medellin at $1,014. 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.