Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jaco Beach Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jaco Beach

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $1,456 in Jaco Beach.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $2,288 in Jaco Beach.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $3,120 in Jaco Beach.

Living in Medellin is roughly 13% more expensive than in Jaco Beach, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 19% above, Jaco Beach 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$11.65 ₡5,213

-30.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$44.54 ₡19.9K

8.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$9.67 ₡4,329

-2.59%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$4.06 ₡1,819

-27.59%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$2.41 ₡1,078

-22.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$1.87 ₡838

-21.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$3.23 ₡1,447

-0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$4.29 ₡1,920

33.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.97 ₡882

-26.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$2.22 ₡996

8.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$2.48 ₡1,112

-31.45%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.63 ₡1,178

9.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$10.62 ₡4,751

-5.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$8.96 ₡4,008

11.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$12.14 ₡5,432

16.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$4.94 ₡2,211

-19.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.57 ₡701

0.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$4.56 ₡2,041

-52.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$3.56 ₡1,592

-35.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.55 ₡692

29.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.47 ₡659

2.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.95 ₡426

26.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.92 ₡860

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$5.81 ₡2,601

-33.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$14.11 ₡6,314

-0.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.61 ₡1,168

-34.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.22 ₡996

23.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$2.41 ₡1,078

-45.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.63 ₡730

33.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$8.66 ₡3,875

-4.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.53 ₡683

-11.11%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$22.3K ₡10.0M

23.09%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$34.8K ₡15.6M

4.93%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$79.9 ₡35.8K

111.08%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$24.02 ₡10.7K

-43.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$47.07 ₡21.1K

-39.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$53.9 ₡24.1K

-15.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$8.19 ₡3,663

-18.80%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$483 ₡216.1K

66.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$7,329 ₡3.3M

25.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$24.95 ₡11.2K

250.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$56.9 ₡25.5K

4.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$130 ₡58.1K

7.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$132 ₡59.0K

-22.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$771 ₡345.0K

38.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$533 ₡238.6K

22.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,995 ₡892.8K

-3.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$1,114 ₡498.6K

-5.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$405 ₡181.3K

61.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

8.78

24.60%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Jaco Beach: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,071 in Medellin and $771 in Jaco Beach. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 62% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $45.00 in Jaco Beach. Groceries flip the comparison at $300 vs $326, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 Jaco Beach: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jaco Beach is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 62% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,071 in Medellin versus $771 in Jaco Beach. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $803 in Medellin versus $483 in Jaco Beach. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Jaco Beach – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,456 in Jaco Beach versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jaco Beach but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Jaco Beach the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Jaco Beach is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Jaco Beach are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Jaco Beach 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.