Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mandeville Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mandeville

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $765 in Mandeville.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,284 in Mandeville.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,803 in Mandeville.

Living in Medellin is roughly 32% more expensive than Mandeville, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Mandeville 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$6.14 JMD 963

-2.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$63.5 JMD 9,952

-48.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.94 JMD 1,401

-20.69%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.14 JMD 336

-20.09%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.98 JMD 153

12.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.76 JMD 120

2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.25 JMD 352

-25.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.77 JMD 435

10.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$4.23 JMD 663

-74.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$2.08 JMD 326

-39.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.57 JMD 245

-12.10%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$3.53 JMD 554

-37.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$11.21 JMD 1,757

-60.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.32 JMD 991

-10.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$7.60 JMD 1,190

16.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$6.08 JMD 952

-61.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.99 JMD 469

-64.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$4.15 JMD 650

-63.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$3.00 JMD 470

-54.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$2.02 JMD 316

-43.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.98 JMD 310

-41.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$2.97 JMD 465

-70.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.49 JMD 234

-43.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$8.34 JMD 1,306

-72.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$11.61 JMD 1,819

-8.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.91 JMD 456

-58.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$3.22 JMD 505

-23.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.09 JMD 170

34.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$3.09 JMD 484

-36.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.12 JMD 959

26.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.28 JMD 200

-25.78%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$43.0K JMD 6.7M

-57.88%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$33.5K JMD 5.2M

-20.95%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$93.0 JMD 14.6K

-11.60%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$21.59 JMD 3,383

-56.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$50.3 JMD 7,874

-51.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$10.81 JMD 1,694

75.76%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$12.90 JMD 2,022

-69.53%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$228 JMD 35.6K

36.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$2,457 JMD 384.9K

142.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$26.55 JMD 4,160

120.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$25.78 JMD 4,039

25.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$70.6 JMD 11.1K

45.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

39.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$470 JMD 73.6K

1.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,799 JMD 281.9K

55.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$511 JMD 80.0K

0.25%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mandeville: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $470 in Mandeville. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 0% 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 $64.0 in Mandeville for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $335 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 Mandeville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandeville is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 0% 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: $476 in Medellin versus $470 in Mandeville. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $228 in Mandeville. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mandeville – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $765 in Mandeville versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mandeville but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Mandeville the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Medellin and Mandeville 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 Mandeville gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.