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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $878 in Golden Grove.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,439 in Golden Grove.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $2,000 in Golden Grove.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Golden Grove 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.46 JMD 1,176

-17.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$61.6 JMD 9,716

-47.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.64 JMD 1,363

-15.05%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$4.23 JMD 667

-59.34%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.38 JMD 217

-23.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.76 JMD 120

1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.57 JMD 405

-34.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.15 JMD 497

0.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$4.22 JMD 666

-75.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$3.51 JMD 553

-62.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.62 JMD 255

-13.58%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$3.55 JMD 560

-39.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$10.85 JMD 1,712

-59.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.30 JMD 994

-6.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.82 JMD 1,234

10.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$6.03 JMD 952

-62.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$3.11 JMD 491

-64.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$4.19 JMD 662

-63.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.94 JMD 464

-54.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.07 JMD 327

-45.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.01 JMD 317

-43.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$3.03 JMD 479

-71.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.39 JMD 62.0

133.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$8.94 JMD 1,411

-73.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$11.20 JMD 1,768

10.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.90 JMD 458

-58.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.22 JMD 508

-22.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.13 JMD 178

25.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$3.24 JMD 511

-40.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.11 JMD 964

25.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.28 JMD 202

-22.66%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$42.9K JMD 6.8M

-57.96%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$34.0K JMD 5.4M

-21.70%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$162 JMD 25.5K

-50.04%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$21.94 JMD 3,461

-54.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$50.6 JMD 7,980

-52.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$13.30 JMD 2,099

-70.08%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$223 JMD 35.2K

36.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$2,528 JMD 398.9K

139.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$25.81 JMD 4,072

125.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$25.63 JMD 4,044

25.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$71.4 JMD 11.3K

41.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$77.4 JMD 12.2K

39.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 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 12, 2026

Last update for Golden Grove: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $62.0 in Golden Grove for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 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 ($1,031 vs $878 including rent). Golden Grove is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,546 in Medellin and $1,317 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 74% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $878 in Golden Grove – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $878 in Golden Grove versus $1,031 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.