Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jeffreys Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jeffreys Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,042 in Jeffreys Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,539 in Jeffreys Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,037 in Jeffreys Bay.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 4% less than in Jeffreys Bay, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Jeffreys Bay 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$5.76 R 94.8

2.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$34.26 R 564

-3.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$5.59 R 92.0

32.92%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.74 R 28.61

-5.17%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.67 R 11.09

64.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.93 R 15.36

-16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.79 R 29.45

-3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$1.78 R 29.37

78.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.04 R 17.19

5.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.99 R 16.33

27.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.71 R 28.20

-19.30%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.63 R 43.33

-17.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.15 R 101

-26.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.52 R 74.4

28.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$6.90 R 114

30.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.95 R 32.05

18.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.46 R 23.97

-27.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.55 R 25.51

-1.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.58 R 26.04

-13.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.31 R 21.60

-13.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.17 R 19.33

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.04 R 17.09

-13.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.07 R 17.65

-15.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.72 R 44.85

-18.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$3.75 R 61.8

223.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.43 R 23.62

-16.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.83 R 30.13

35.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$1.66 R 27.35

-48.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.10 R 18.09

29.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.95 R 15.72

105.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$4.01 R 66.1

96.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.25 R 20.52

-20.80%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$21.5K R 353.4K

-18.00%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$23.6K R 388.0K

13.70%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$138 R 2,271

-39.83%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$54.3 R 894

-82.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$58.9 R 970

-60.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$31.38 R 517

-19.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$5.56 R 91.5

243.53%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.92 R 114

-42.92%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$128 R 2,101

147.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,286 R 70.6K

39.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$51.3 R 845

16.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$31.71 R 522

0.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$87.6 R 1,442

16.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$79.4 R 1,308

35.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$361 R 5,935

31.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$325 R 5,357

14.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$684 R 11.3K

24.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$585 R 9,637

22.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$752 R 12.4K

334.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$561 R 9,241

156.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.51

16.68%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Jeffreys Bay: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $361 in Jeffreys Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $34.00 in Jeffreys Bay. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $174, with Jeffreys Bay 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 Jeffreys Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $1,563 in Jeffreys Bay to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $361 in Jeffreys Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Jeffreys Bay pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $1,042 in Jeffreys Bay – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,042 in Jeffreys Bay, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Jeffreys Bay. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Jeffreys Bay, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Jeffreys Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.