Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Green Island Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Green Island

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $899 in Green Island.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,446 in Green Island.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,994 in Green Island.

Living in Medellin is roughly 13% more expensive than Green Island, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Green Island 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 21.2K

$7.68 JMD 1,208

-22.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 118.9K

$62.8 JMD 9,878

-46.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.8K

$8.72 JMD 1,372

-17.09%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,811

$4.42 JMD 695

-63.12%

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

$1.09 COP 3,904

$1.31 JMD 207

-16.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,604

$0.76 JMD 119

-3.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,197

$2.49 JMD 391

-30.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.5K

$3.20 JMD 504

0.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,742

$4.36 JMD 686

-75.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,614

$3.67 JMD 577

-64.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,718

$1.55 JMD 244

-14.84%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,101

$3.57 JMD 562

-36.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.5K

$11.26 JMD 1,771

-61.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.0K

$6.44 JMD 1,013

-8.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.7K

$7.67 JMD 1,206

12.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,015

$5.89 JMD 927

-61.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,814

$3.09 JMD 486

-65.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,438

$4.21 JMD 662

-63.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,073

$2.89 JMD 455

-50.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,173

$2.10 JMD 331

-44.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,166

$2.01 JMD 317

-41.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,163

$3.13 JMD 493

-71.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,215

$1.45 JMD 228

-37.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,008

$8.83 JMD 1,389

-74.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.4K

$11.34 JMD 1,784

-2.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,063

$2.78 JMD 437

-58.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,483

$3.05 JMD 480

-21.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,019

$1.07 JMD 168

31.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,779

$3.25 JMD 512

-41.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.6K

$6.17 JMD 970

25.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,586

$1.29 JMD 203

-21.71%

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

$17.6K COP 62.7M

$42.3K JMD 6.7M

-58.44%

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

$26.5K COP 94.5M

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

-20.35%

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

$83.7 COP 298.4K

$165 JMD 25.9K

-49.23%

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

$9.45 COP 33.7K

$22.16 JMD 3,486

-57.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.0K

$49.98 JMD 7,862

-51.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.6K

$13.07 JMD 2,055

-68.63%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$224 JMD 35.3K

39.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.4M

$2,478 JMD 389.7K

141.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 207.0K

$26.45 JMD 4,160

119.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.1K

$25.69 JMD 4,041

26.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 355.3K

$69.9 JMD 11.0K

42.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 387.1K

$75.3 JMD 11.8K

44.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Green Island: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $63.0 in Green Island for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $352 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 Green Island: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Green Island differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $899 including rent). Green Island is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $1,348 in Green Island 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 86% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $899 in Green Island – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $899 in Green Island versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Green Island but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Green Island 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 Green Island gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.