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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $765 in Mandeville.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,279 in Mandeville.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,794 in Mandeville.

Living in Medellin is roughly 35% more expensive than in Mandeville, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Mandeville 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$6.17 JMD 974

-0.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$63.0 JMD 9,933

-48.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.63 JMD 1,362

-14.95%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.16 JMD 341

-20.37%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.99 JMD 156

6.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.72 JMD 113

6.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.21 JMD 348

-23.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.79 JMD 441

13.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$4.30 JMD 678

-75.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.15 JMD 339

-39.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.61 JMD 255

-13.04%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$3.47 JMD 547

-37.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.22 JMD 1,771

-60.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.46 JMD 1,020

-8.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.83 JMD 1,235

10.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$6.00 JMD 947

-62.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$3.10 JMD 490

-64.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$4.14 JMD 654

-63.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.90 JMD 458

-53.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.08 JMD 329

-45.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.03 JMD 320

-44.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.99 JMD 472

-71.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.49 JMD 234

-38.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$8.26 JMD 1,303

-71.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$11.18 JMD 1,765

10.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.76 JMD 436

-56.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.09 JMD 488

-19.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.12 JMD 177

26.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$3.21 JMD 506

-40.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.10 JMD 963

25.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.23 JMD 195

-19.51%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$42.6K JMD 6.7M

-57.69%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

-21.13%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$92.9 JMD 14.7K

-12.97%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$22.15 JMD 3,495

-55.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$50.3 JMD 7,943

-51.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$10.77 JMD 1,700

77.81%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$13.21 JMD 2,085

-69.87%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$226 JMD 35.7K

35.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$2,532 JMD 399.5K

139.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$26.32 JMD 4,153

120.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$26.02 JMD 4,105

23.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$71.6 JMD 11.3K

40.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$76.4 JMD 12.1K

41.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$463 JMD 73.0K

2.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,768 JMD 279.0K

81.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$497 JMD 78.4K

24.07%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mandeville: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $463 in Mandeville. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 24% 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 $63.0 in Mandeville for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $336 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 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 24% higher in Medellin, 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: $477 in Medellin versus $463 in Mandeville. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $226 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 $63.0 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $765 in Mandeville versus $1,031 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 35% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.