Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jekabpils Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jekabpils

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,303 in Jekabpils.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,905 in Jekabpils.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $2,507 in Jekabpils.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 21% less than in Jekabpils, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Jekabpils 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 19.8K

$12.97 €11.37

-52.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 104.8K

$33.03 €28.96

-1.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.6K

$9.22 €8.08

-20.39%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,527

$3.40 €2.98

-49.41%

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

$1.05 COP 3,376

$1.06 €0.93

-0.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,482

$0.93 €0.81

-17.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,417

$4.88 €4.28

-65.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$5.93 €5.20

-46.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,379

$1.10 €0.97

-4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,181

$1.62 €1.42

-19.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,485

$2.93 €2.57

-52.22%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 6,956

$2.26 €1.98

-4.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.1K

$9.24 €8.10

-52.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 18.9K

$6.81 €5.97

-13.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$11.65 €10.22

-25.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,330

$1.20 €1.06

90.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,557

$1.83 €1.61

-39.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,918

$2.05 €1.80

-25.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,353

$3.43 €3.01

-60.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,627

$1.09 €0.95

3.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,644

$0.89 €0.78

26.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,717

$1.76 €1.55

-51.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,937

$0.85 €0.74

7.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,531

$5.66 €4.96

-58.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 39.7K

$6.79 €5.96

82.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,859

$1.47 €1.29

-18.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,000

$1.17 €1.03

112.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,692

$1.48 €1.30

-43.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 130.4K

$37.03 €32.47

9.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,563

$1.03 €0.90

37.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,155

$0.34 €0.30

464.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.6K

$13.65 €11.97

-43.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,181

$1.86 €1.63

-46.77%

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

$18.0K COP 57.9M

$30.0K €26.3K

-39.93%

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

$26.6K COP 85.6M

$31.3K €27.5K

-14.96%

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

$80.8 COP 259.7K

$278 €244

-70.91%

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

$9.95 COP 32.0K

$11.48 €10.07

-13.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 77.7K

$17.01 €14.91

42.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 80.6K

$51.1 €44.83

-50.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 61.5K

$13.62 €11.94

40.60%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 12.8K

$11.63 €10.19

-65.78%

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

$305 COP 980.7K

$552 €484

-44.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.5M

$7,995 €7,010

-24.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 186.8K

$91.2 €79.9

-36.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 103.5K

$29.41 €25.79

9.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 323.7K

$94.2 €82.6

6.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 346.3K

$134 €118

-19.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.5M

$353 €310

34.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$252 €221

49.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$745 €653

13.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.3M

$460 €404

58.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.3M

$850 €745

278.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.4M

$806 €707

70.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$998 €875

-38.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.63

190.06%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Jekabpils: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $353 in Jekabpils. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jekabpils pays 62% 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 $33.00 in Jekabpils for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $233 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 Jekabpils: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Jekabpils differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $1,303 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 62% lower in Jekabpils. 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: $477 in Medellin versus $353 in Jekabpils. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $1,303 in Jekabpils – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 10% less than in Jekabpils. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,303 in Jekabpils, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Jekabpils. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin 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 Jekabpils 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Jekabpils. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.