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: $1,014 in Medellin versus $875 in Green Island.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,596 in Medellin versus $1,445 in Green Island.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,178 in Medellin versus $2,014 in Green Island.

Living in Medellin is roughly 16% more expensive than Green Island, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Green Island 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 COP 22.1K

$7.65 JMD 1,211

-19.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 COP 119.0K

$63.1 JMD 9,978

-47.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 COP 26.4K

$8.90 JMD 1,409

-17.75%

Cappuccino

$1.66 COP 5,973

$4.45 JMD 704

-62.70%

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

$1.10 COP 3,978

$1.37 JMD 217

-19.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,816

$0.75 JMD 118

4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 COP 6,174

$2.49 JMD 394

-31.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 11.4K

$3.15 JMD 499

0.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 4,003

$4.43 JMD 701

-74.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,709

$3.64 JMD 577

-64.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,969

$1.62 JMD 256

-14.81%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 7,992

$3.44 JMD 544

-35.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 COP 15.6K

$11.15 JMD 1,764

-61.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.9K

$6.45 JMD 1,021

-10.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 COP 32.3K

$7.52 JMD 1,191

19.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 COP 8,146

$6.06 JMD 959

-62.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,014

$3.05 JMD 482

-63.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 5,273

$4.28 JMD 678

-65.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,918

$2.95 JMD 466

-53.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,000

$2.03 JMD 321

-45.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,190

$1.95 JMD 308

-40.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,204

$3.06 JMD 485

-70.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 3,117

$1.44 JMD 228

-39.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,476

$8.55 JMD 1,354

-72.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 COP 39.1K

$11.58 JMD 1,833

-6.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,321

$2.77 JMD 438

-56.68%

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

$1.09 JMD 172

30.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,885

$3.25 JMD 515

-41.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 COP 27.6K

$6.10 JMD 966

25.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,482

$1.25 JMD 197

-22.40%

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

$18.1K COP 65.2M

$42.6K JMD 6.7M

-57.55%

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

$26.3K COP 94.8M

$34.2K JMD 5.4M

-23.09%

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

$81.3 COP 292.9K

$164 JMD 26.0K

-50.42%

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

$9.63 COP 34.7K

$22.48 JMD 3,558

-57.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 COP 87.8K

$50.2 JMD 7,947

-51.48%

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

$13.13 JMD 2,078

-70.37%

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

$304 COP 1.1M

$228 JMD 36.2K

33.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,902 COP 21.3M

$2,498 JMD 395.4K

136.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 211.4K

$25.89 JMD 4,097

126.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.48 COP 117.0K

$25.22 JMD 3,992

28.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 366.5K

$72.1 JMD 11.4K

41.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 389.6K

$74.7 JMD 11.8K

44.73%

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 Green Island: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $474 in Medellin and $0 in Green Island. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33 in Medellin vs $63 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 16% in total monthly costs ($1,014 vs $875 including rent). Green Island is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,522 in Medellin and $1,313 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 85% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,014 per month in Medellin versus $875 in Green Island – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $875 in Green Island versus $1,014 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 16% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.