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: $1,018 in Medellin versus $652 in Jambi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,609 in Medellin versus $1,017 in Jambi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,200 in Medellin versus $1,381 in Jambi.

Living in Medellin is roughly 56% more expensive than in Jambi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Jambi 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

242.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.6K

$18.29 Rp 328.1K

81.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$3.44 Rp 61.6K

106.98%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,487

$1.41 Rp 25.2K

21.28%

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

$1.05 COP 3,374

$1.24 Rp 22.3K

-15.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,324

$0.21 Rp 3,759

242.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,531

$2.39 Rp 42.9K

-28.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$2.50 Rp 44.8K

26.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,426

$1.17 Rp 21.1K

-9.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,215

$1.13 Rp 20.3K

15.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,279

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

51.14%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,338

$1.59 Rp 28.5K

43.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$8.33 Rp 149.3K

-46.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$3.07 Rp 55.0K

92.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$7.98 Rp 143.1K

8.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,545

$2.32 Rp 41.6K

0.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,546

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

-27.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,724

$1.82 Rp 32.6K

-19.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,439

$1.57 Rp 28.2K

-12.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,774

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

-15.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,765

$1.89 Rp 34.0K

-38.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,905

$0.91 Rp 16.4K

-1.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,708

$0.41 Rp 7,335

104.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,490

$2.55 Rp 45.8K

-8.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$22.18 Rp 397.7K

-46.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,693

$2.04 Rp 36.6K

-43.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,791

$3.11 Rp 55.7K

-22.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,702

$0.30 Rp 5,371

180.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.4K

$9.80 Rp 175.7K

316.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,541

$0.53 Rp 9,547

166.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,160

$0.34 Rp 6,134

461.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.2K

$2.85 Rp 51.1K

174.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,037

$0.76 Rp 13.7K

23.68%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$24.4K Rp 436.9M

-26.86%

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

$27.1K COP 87.1M

$27.7K Rp 496.8M

-2.22%

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

$83.3 COP 267.9K

$69.1 Rp 1.2M

20.58%

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

$9.66 COP 31.1K

$4.40 Rp 78.9K

119.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.9K

$22.34 Rp 400.7K

8.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.2K

$16.79 Rp 301.1K

50.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

$6.01 Rp 107.9K

221.63%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

43.82%

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

$307 COP 986.5K

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

222.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$7,592 Rp 136.2M

-21.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.9K

$42.28 Rp 758.2K

41.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 105.1K

$31.14 Rp 558.4K

4.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 325.2K

$67.3 Rp 1.2M

50.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.6K

$73.8 Rp 1.3M

46.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$258 Rp 4.6M

84.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$157 Rp 2.8M

141.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$588 Rp 10.5M

38.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$332 Rp 6.0M

112.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

$1,111 Rp 19.9M

187.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

$769 Rp 13.8M

88.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

$203 Rp 3.6M

206.72%

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 Jambi: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $258 in Jambi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 207% 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 $18.00 in Jambi. Groceries flip the comparison at $192 vs $210, 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 56% in total monthly costs ($1,018 vs $652 including rent). Jambi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 207% 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: $476 in Medellin versus $258 in Jambi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,018 per month in Medellin versus $652 in Jambi – a 56% 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 $652 in Jambi versus $1,018 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 56% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.