Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jakobstad Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jakobstad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,670 in Jakobstad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $2,538 in Jakobstad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $3,406 in Jakobstad.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 40% less than in Jakobstad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% below, Jakobstad is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 19.1K

$13.77 €11.96

-57.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 106.5K

$84.8 €73.7

-61.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 24.0K

$11.17 €9.70

-33.48%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,343

$4.20 €3.65

-60.71%

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

$1.10 COP 3,559

$2.72 €2.37

-59.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,523

$1.73 €1.50

-54.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,553

$7.31 €6.36

-76.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.3K

$8.18 €7.10

-61.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,565

$1.39 €1.21

-20.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,066

$3.05 €2.65

-58.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,463

$2.38 €2.07

-42.02%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 7,038

$3.37 €2.93

-35.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.5K

$8.73 €7.58

-48.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.7K

$14.74 €12.80

-60.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 29.0K

$22.84 €19.85

-60.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,499

$2.60 €2.26

-10.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,440

$2.13 €1.85

-50.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,899

$2.67 €2.32

-43.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,381

$3.70 €3.21

-63.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,645

$1.44 €1.25

-21.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,785

$1.93 €1.68

-39.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,912

$3.11 €2.70

-71.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,897

$2.05 €1.78

-56.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,218

$11.79 €10.24

-81.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 39.2K

$16.26 €14.13

-25.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,841

$3.21 €2.78

-62.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,020

$3.49 €3.04

-28.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,758

$3.57 €3.10

-76.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 134.5K

$67.5 €58.7

-38.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,575

$6.99 €6.07

-79.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,302

$1.20 €1.05

62.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.5K

$55.3 €48.07

-85.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,200

$2.08 €1.81

-52.40%

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

$17.6K COP 56.9M

$35.5K €30.8K

-50.42%

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

$26.8K COP 86.6M

$39.9K €34.7K

-32.86%

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

$83.0 COP 268.2K

$83.8 €72.8

-0.99%

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

$9.70 COP 31.3K

$29.65 €25.76

-67.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 76.0K

$24.36 €21.17

-3.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 81.6K

$43.16 €37.49

-41.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 61.7K

$23.89 €20.76

-20.05%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.8K

$18.23 €15.84

-78.33%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$326 €283

-3.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.3M

$7,922 €6,882

-24.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 193.8K

$87.0 €75.6

-31.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 102.8K

$42.73 €37.13

-25.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 328.5K

$111 €96.7

-8.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 347.2K

$156 €135

-31.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$478 €415

-0.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$524 €455

-28.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$896 €778

-5.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$665 €578

8.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.5M

$4,193 €3,643

-22.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.7M

$2,174 €1,889

-33.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$2,251 €1,956

-72.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

1.4

859.29%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Jakobstad: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $478 in Jakobstad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jakobstad pays 260% 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 $85.0 in Jakobstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $391 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 Jakobstad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Jakobstad differ by about 67% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $1,670 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 260% lower in Jakobstad. 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: $475 in Medellin versus $478 in Jakobstad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 62% less than in Jakobstad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $326 in Jakobstad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,670 in Jakobstad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Jakobstad. 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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Jakobstad 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Jakobstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.