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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $666 in Jambi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,040 in Jambi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,413 in Jambi.

Living in Medellin is roughly 53% more expensive than Jambi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Jambi 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 21.2K

$1.66 Rp 30.1K

258.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 118.9K

$18.48 Rp 335.2K

80.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.8K

$3.47 Rp 63.0K

108.36%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,811

$1.47 Rp 26.7K

10.88%

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

$1.09 COP 3,904

$1.26 Rp 22.8K

-13.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,604

$0.21 Rp 3,795

247.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,197

$2.43 Rp 44.1K

-28.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.5K

$2.50 Rp 45.3K

29.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,742

$1.19 Rp 21.5K

-11.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,614

$1.14 Rp 20.6K

13.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,718

$0.94 Rp 17.1K

40.43%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,101

$1.57 Rp 28.5K

44.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.5K

$7.90 Rp 143.2K

-44.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.0K

$3.09 Rp 56.0K

90.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.7K

$8.11 Rp 147.1K

6.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,015

$2.34 Rp 42.4K

-3.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,814

$1.49 Rp 27.0K

-28.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,438

$1.80 Rp 32.7K

-15.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,073

$1.51 Rp 27.4K

-5.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,173

$1.37 Rp 24.8K

-14.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,166

$1.94 Rp 35.2K

-39.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,163

$0.91 Rp 16.6K

-2.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,215

$0.42 Rp 7,576

114.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,008

$2.47 Rp 44.9K

-8.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.4K

$21.84 Rp 396.0K

-49.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,063

$2.10 Rp 38.1K

-45.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,483

$3.07 Rp 55.7K

-22.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

$0.30 Rp 5,414

180.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

$9.58 Rp 173.7K

337.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,019

$0.53 Rp 9,585

166.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,779

$0.37 Rp 6,760

413.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.6K

$2.91 Rp 52.7K

166.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,586

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

27.85%

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

$17.6K COP 62.7M

$25.0K Rp 452.9M

-29.60%

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

$26.5K COP 94.5M

$27.5K Rp 498.8M

-3.67%

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

$83.7 COP 298.4K

$69.6 Rp 1.3M

20.30%

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

$9.45 COP 33.7K

$4.19 Rp 76.0K

125.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.0K

$23.18 Rp 420.4K

4.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

$17.22 Rp 312.4K

46.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

$6.11 Rp 110.8K

213.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.6K

$2.72 Rp 49.3K

50.74%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

228.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.4M

$7,698 Rp 139.6M

-22.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 207.0K

$41.73 Rp 756.7K

39.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.1K

$30.43 Rp 551.9K

7.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 355.3K

$67.9 Rp 1.2M

46.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 387.1K

$73.5 Rp 1.3M

47.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$263 Rp 4.8M

83.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$158 Rp 2.9M

140.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

$592 Rp 10.7M

41.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

$331 Rp 6.0M

118.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

$1,178 Rp 21.4M

140.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

$636 Rp 11.5M

92.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$201 Rp 3.6M

169.64%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Jambi: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $263 in Jambi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 170% 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 $190 vs $209, 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 53% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $666 including rent). Jambi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 170% 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: $482 in Medellin versus $263 in Jambi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $666 in Jambi – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jambi runs roughly 338% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $666 in Jambi versus $1,017 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 53% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.