Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jayuya Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jayuya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $1,350 in Jayuya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $2,042 in Jayuya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $2,734 in Jayuya.

Living in Medellin is roughly 22% more expensive than in Jayuya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Jayuya is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$11.96 $11.96

-32.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$58.9 $58.9

-17.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$7.90 $7.90

19.24%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$5.02 $5.02

-41.43%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.95 $0.95

95.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$1.28 $1.28

14.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.04 $2.04

57.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$4.09 $4.09

39.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$2.03 $2.03

-29.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$3.07 $3.07

-21.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$3.60 $3.60

-52.78%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$5.40 $5.40

-46.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$11.90 $11.90

-15.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$6.16 $6.16

61.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$6.80 $6.80

108.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$8.16 $8.16

-51.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$4.10 $4.10

-61.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$7.05 $7.05

-69.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$5.15 $5.15

-55.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$3.89 $3.89

-48.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.94 $1.94

-22.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$3.88 $3.88

-69.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.97 $1.97

-35.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$11.12 $11.12

-65.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$15.26 $15.26

-8.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.19 $2.19

-21.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$3.40 $3.40

-19.41%

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

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$0.81 $0.81

67.90%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$56.2K $56.2K

-51.15%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$34.5K $34.5K

5.77%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$39.54 $39.54

-65.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$69.0 $69.0

-58.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$8.77 $8.77

-24.17%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$70.8 $70.8

23.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$49.98 $49.98

18.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$89.6 $89.6

55.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$150 $150

-31.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$493 $493

117.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$451 $451

44.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$656 $656

193.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$559 $559

87.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$875 $875

371.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$806 $806

110.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$1,421 $1,421

-53.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.27

107.59%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Jayuya: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,071 in Medellin and $493 in Jayuya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jayuya pays 117% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $59.0 in Jayuya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $396 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 Jayuya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Jayuya differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($1,641 vs $1,350 including rent). Jayuya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 117% lower in Jayuya. 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: $1,071 in Medellin versus $493 in Jayuya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Jayuya – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,641 per month in Medellin versus $1,350 in Jayuya – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,350 in Jayuya versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Jayuya but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Jayuya 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 Jayuya 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 Jayuya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.