Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Golden Grove Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Golden Grove

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $864 in Golden Grove.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,399 in Golden Grove.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,935 in Golden Grove.

Living in Medellin is roughly 17% more expensive than Golden Grove, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Golden Grove 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$7.60 JMD 1,195

-21.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$61.4 JMD 9,656

-46.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.89 JMD 1,397

-20.25%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$4.31 JMD 678

-60.32%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.33 JMD 209

-17.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.75 JMD 118

4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$2.54 JMD 399

-33.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$3.16 JMD 497

-2.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$4.38 JMD 690

-75.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$3.46 JMD 544

-63.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.63 JMD 257

-15.34%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$3.57 JMD 562

-38.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$11.02 JMD 1,733

-60.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.18 JMD 972

-8.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$7.60 JMD 1,195

16.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$6.03 JMD 948

-61.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$3.15 JMD 495

-66.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$4.19 JMD 659

-64.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$3.05 JMD 480

-54.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$2.00 JMD 315

-42.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.94 JMD 304

-40.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$3.11 JMD 489

-71.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.37 JMD 57.6

127.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$8.84 JMD 1,390

-74.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$11.28 JMD 1,774

-5.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$2.76 JMD 435

-56.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$3.15 JMD 496

-21.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.09 JMD 171

34.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$3.11 JMD 490

-36.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.34 JMD 997

22.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.27 JMD 200

-25.20%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$43.0K JMD 6.8M

-57.82%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$34.0K JMD 5.3M

-22.03%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$163 JMD 25.6K

-49.48%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$21.93 JMD 3,449

-56.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$50.4 JMD 7,918

-51.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$13.12 JMD 2,062

-70.05%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$225 JMD 35.4K

37.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$2,515 JMD 395.5K

137.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$26.26 JMD 4,129

123.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$26.02 JMD 4,091

24.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$71.0 JMD 11.2K

44.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$75.7 JMD 11.9K

43.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Golden Grove: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $61.0 in Golden Grove for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $336 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 Golden Grove: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Golden Grove differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $864 including rent). Golden Grove is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,519 in Medellin and $1,296 in Golden Grove 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 79% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $864 in Golden Grove – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $864 in Golden Grove versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Golden Grove but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Golden Grove 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 Golden Grove gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.