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: $1,018 in Medellin versus $894 in Green Island.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,609 in Medellin versus $1,450 in Green Island.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,200 in Medellin versus $2,006 in Green Island.

Living in Medellin is roughly 14% more expensive than in 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

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$7.45 JMD 1,174

-20.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.5K

$63.7 JMD 10.0K

-48.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$8.68 JMD 1,367

-17.97%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,484

$4.40 JMD 694

-61.14%

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

$1.05 COP 3,373

$1.36 JMD 214

-22.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,323

$0.71 JMD 112

1.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,529

$2.44 JMD 384

-29.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$3.10 JMD 487

2.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,425

$4.29 JMD 676

-75.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,213

$3.63 JMD 572

-63.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,277

$1.63 JMD 257

-18.40%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,334

$3.58 JMD 564

-36.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$11.13 JMD 1,752

-60.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$6.18 JMD 973

-4.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$7.47 JMD 1,176

15.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,541

$5.88 JMD 925

-60.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,544

$3.05 JMD 480

-63.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,721

$4.27 JMD 673

-65.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,437

$2.93 JMD 461

-52.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,772

$2.01 JMD 317

-41.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,763

$2.02 JMD 317

-42.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,904

$3.01 JMD 474

-70.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,707

$1.48 JMD 233

-43.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,486

$8.58 JMD 1,351

-72.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$11.54 JMD 1,818

3.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,692

$2.78 JMD 438

-58.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,787

$3.22 JMD 506

-24.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,700

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,539

$1.11 JMD 175

27.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,157

$3.25 JMD 512

-41.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.2K

$6.34 JMD 999

23.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,035

$1.23 JMD 193

-23.58%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$43.2K JMD 6.8M

-58.73%

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

$27.1K COP 87.1M

$33.6K JMD 5.3M

-19.50%

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

$83.3 COP 267.8K

$164 JMD 25.8K

-49.23%

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

$9.66 COP 31.1K

$22.27 JMD 3,506

-56.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.9K

$51.6 JMD 8,123

-53.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$13.28 JMD 2,091

-69.35%

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

$307 COP 986.0K

$226 JMD 35.6K

35.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$2,522 JMD 397.2K

137.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.8K

$25.71 JMD 4,048

133.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 105.0K

$25.41 JMD 4,001

28.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 325.1K

$71.3 JMD 11.2K

41.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.5K

$76.3 JMD 12.0K

41.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 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 20, 2026

Last update for Green Island: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $64.0 in Green Island for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $349 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 14% in total monthly costs ($1,018 vs $894 including rent). Green Island is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,527 in Medellin and $1,341 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 82% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,018 per month in Medellin versus $894 in Green Island – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $894 in Green Island versus $1,018 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 14% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.