Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jacksonville, NC Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jacksonville, NC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $2,551 in Jacksonville, NC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $3,314 in Jacksonville, NC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $4,077 in Jacksonville, NC.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 60% less than in Jacksonville, NC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Jacksonville, NC is 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 21.2K

$17.69 $17.69

-66.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 118.9K

$54.7 $54.7

-39.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.8K

$10.14 $10.14

-28.70%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,811

$4.79 $4.79

-65.97%

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

$1.09 COP 3,904

$2.54 $2.54

-57.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,604

$1.87 $1.87

-60.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,197

$4.89 $4.89

-64.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.5K

$6.40 $6.40

-49.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,742

$0.94 $0.94

11.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,614

$2.15 $2.15

-40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,718

$4.29 $4.29

-69.23%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,101

$4.50 $4.50

-49.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.5K

$11.96 $11.96

-63.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.0K

$14.41 $14.41

-59.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.7K

$27.76 $27.76

-68.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,015

$2.16 $2.16

4.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,814

$1.45 $1.45

-26.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,438

$5.01 $5.01

-69.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,073

$3.57 $3.57

-60.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,173

$7.58 $7.58

-84.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,166

$3.63 $3.63

-67.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,163

$3.40 $3.40

-73.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,215

$1.90 $1.90

-52.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,008

$10.59 $10.59

-78.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.4K

$13.78 $13.78

-19.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,063

$1.71 $1.71

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,483

$6.94 $6.94

-65.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

$2.02 $2.02

-58.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,019

$2.45 $2.45

-42.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,779

$2.37 $2.37

-19.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.6K

$28.61 $28.61

-72.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,586

$0.78 $0.78

29.49%

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

$17.6K COP 62.7M

$28.9K $28.9K

-39.10%

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

$26.5K COP 94.5M

$27.5K $27.5K

-3.59%

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

$83.7 COP 298.4K

$170 $170

-50.81%

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

$9.45 COP 33.7K

$56.1 $56.1

-83.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.0K

$78.0 $78.0

-69.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

$38.24 $38.24

-33.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.6K

$13.91 $13.91

-70.52%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$911 $911

-65.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.4M

$23.1K $23.1K

-74.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 207.0K

$29.91 $29.91

94.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.1K

$39.91 $39.91

-18.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 355.3K

$80.7 $80.7

23.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 387.1K

$74.9 $74.9

44.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$1,204 $1,204

-59.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$1,369 $1,369

-72.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

$1,588 $1,588

-47.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

$1,551 $1,551

-53.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

$1,914 $1,914

48.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

$6,840 $6,840

-82.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$2,231 $2,231

-75.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.33

112.16%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Jacksonville, NC: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $1,204 in Jacksonville, NC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jacksonville, NC pays 312% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $55.0 in Jacksonville, NC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $431 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 Jacksonville, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Jacksonville, NC differ by about 151% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $2,551 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Jacksonville, NC earns 312% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Medellin versus $1,204 in Jacksonville, NC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $911 in Jacksonville, NC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $55.0 in Jacksonville, NC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $2,551 in Jacksonville, NC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Jacksonville, NC. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 151% less than in Jacksonville, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.