Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jolly Harbour Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jolly Harbour

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,302 in Jolly Harbour, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,922 in Jolly Harbour, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,542 in Jolly Harbour, rent included.

Medellin costs about 32% more than Jolly Harbour, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Jolly Harbour is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$9.14 EC$24.69

-12.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.0K

$74.7 EC$202

-35.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.6K

$7.27 EC$19.62

34.39%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,107

$5.67 EC$15.30

-48.68%

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

$1.94 COP 6,082

$2.27 EC$6.13

-14.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,760

$1.13 EC$3.06

34.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,676

$5.40 EC$14.58

-42.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.0K

$4.49 EC$12.11

27.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,267

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,470

$3.05 EC$8.22

-21.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,321

$5.57 EC$15.05

-69.48%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,979

$7.76 EC$20.95

-63.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$5.70 EC$15.39

74.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$6.47 EC$17.47

66.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.1K

$16.51 EC$44.57

-10.78%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$5.60 EC$15.11

-26.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,917

$1.86 EC$5.03

-15.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,651

$2.88 EC$7.79

-26.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,926

$5.68 EC$15.34

-61.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,404

$5.54 EC$14.95

-63.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,706

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,723

$6.37 EC$17.19

-81.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,623

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.2K

$12.87 EC$34.76

12.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,955

$1.27 EC$3.43

24.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,847

$1.90 EC$5.14

48.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,655

$1.88 EC$5.08

-37.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 243.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,019

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,546

$5.69 EC$15.36

-63.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,061

$0.68 EC$1.83

91.18%

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

$27.7K COP 86.5M

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

$35.5K COP 111.1M

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

$176 COP 550.9K

$512 EC$1,383

-65.62%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.5K

$66.2 EC$179

-54.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.0K

$75.1 EC$203

-40.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.4K

$56.4 EC$152

-69.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$16.47 EC$44.46

-62.36%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 426.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

82.33%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Jolly Harbour: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $75.0 in Jolly Harbour. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $340 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Jolly Harbour: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 32% more than Jolly Harbour, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,953 in Jolly Harbour. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,716 in Medellin and $1,302 in Jolly Harbour. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jolly Harbour, where all-in costs run around $1,302, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Jolly Harbour it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jolly Harbour costs $1,302 versus $1,716 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Jolly Harbour. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.