Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jambi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jambi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,030 in Medellin versus $668 in Jambi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $1,041 in Jambi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,414 in Jambi.

Living in Medellin is roughly 54% more expensive than Jambi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Jambi 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$1.67 Rp 28.7K

254.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$18.52 Rp 318.3K

79.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$3.32 Rp 57.1K

118.37%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$1.41 Rp 24.2K

21.28%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$1.26 Rp 21.7K

-13.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$0.23 Rp 3,954

234.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$2.53 Rp 43.5K

-30.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$2.48 Rp 42.7K

28.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$1.21 Rp 20.8K

-12.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$1.17 Rp 20.1K

11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$0.89 Rp 15.3K

55.06%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$1.54 Rp 26.5K

43.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$7.94 Rp 136.4K

-43.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$3.13 Rp 53.8K

85.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$7.73 Rp 132.8K

16.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$2.41 Rp 41.5K

-4.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$1.50 Rp 25.7K

-29.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$1.85 Rp 31.8K

-18.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$1.57 Rp 26.9K

-13.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$1.39 Rp 23.9K

-16.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$1.89 Rp 32.5K

-38.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$0.97 Rp 16.7K

-14.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$0.45 Rp 7,673

88.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$2.56 Rp 44.0K

-8.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$23.65 Rp 406.4K

-53.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$2.09 Rp 35.9K

-44.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$3.10 Rp 53.3K

-20.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$0.32 Rp 5,582

146.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$10.03 Rp 172.3K

317.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$0.54 Rp 9,242

166.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$0.35 Rp 5,941

442.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$2.85 Rp 49.0K

170.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$0.83 Rp 14.2K

24.10%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$25.0K Rp 429.7M

-29.27%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$27.2K Rp 466.6M

-0.50%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$69.8 Rp 1.2M

16.73%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$4.39 Rp 75.4K

114.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$22.54 Rp 387.4K

5.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$17.21 Rp 295.7K

50.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

$6.27 Rp 107.8K

208.45%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$2.79 Rp 47.9K

45.16%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$93.9 Rp 1.6M

232.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$7,452 Rp 128.1M

-18.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$42.00 Rp 721.7K

40.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$30.46 Rp 523.5K

7.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$67.5 Rp 1.2M

48.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$73.6 Rp 1.3M

44.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$257 Rp 4.4M

90.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$159 Rp 2.7M

133.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$587 Rp 10.1M

42.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$334 Rp 5.7M

114.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$1,200 Rp 20.6M

146.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$837 Rp 14.4M

66.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

$217 Rp 3.7M

145.50%

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 20, 2026

Last update for Jambi: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Medellin and $257 in Jambi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 146% 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 in Medellin vs $19 in Jambi. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $214, 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 Jambi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Jambi differ by about 54% in total monthly costs ($1,030 vs $668 including rent). Jambi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 146% more on average, 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: $490 in Medellin versus $257 in Jambi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,030 per month in Medellin versus $668 in Jambi – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jambi runs roughly 317% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $668 in Jambi versus $1,030 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Jambi but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Jambi 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 Jambi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.