Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and May Pen Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and May Pen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $630 in May Pen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $973 in May Pen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,316 in May Pen.

Living in Medellin is roughly 61% more expensive than May Pen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, May Pen 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$2.24 JMD 351

-51.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$3.68 JMD 576

-65.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$3.18 JMD 498

-56.60%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$3.46 JMD 542

-36.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.63 JMD 1,196

-26.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$5.09 JMD 797

74.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.53 JMD 240

52.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$5.11 JMD 801

-79.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$6.08 JMD 952

-75.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.91 JMD 299

-27.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.93 JMD 302

-40.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.85 JMD 290

-37.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$3.19 JMD 501

-72.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$2.90 JMD 454

-71.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.22 JMD 348

-45.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.83 JMD 130

3.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.41 JMD 222

-32.62%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$41.74 JMD 6,540

-77.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$39.36 JMD 6,167

-38.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$313 JMD 49.0K

-1.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$15.86 JMD 2,485

269.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$21.62 JMD 3,388

49.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$40.73 JMD 6,382

151.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$53.5 JMD 8,379

102.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$177 JMD 27.7K

168.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$217 JMD 33.9K

74.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$563 JMD 88.2K

48.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$443 JMD 69.5K

63.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for May Pen: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $177 in May Pen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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 May Pen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

May Pen wins on cost – living expenses run 61% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making May Pen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,519 in Medellin and $945 in May Pen 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: $476 in Medellin versus $177 in May Pen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $630 in May Pen – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 48% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $630 in May Pen versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in May Pen but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes May Pen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but May Pen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $630 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes May Pen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find May Pen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.