Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Montego Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Montego Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,166 in Montego Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,151 in Montego Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $3,136 in Montego Bay, rent included.

Medellin costs about 44% more than Montego Bay, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Montego Bay is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$11.17 JMD 1,753

-28.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$77.3 JMD 12.1K

-38.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$8.69 JMD 1,363

13.81%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$5.50 JMD 863

-43.09%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.94 JMD 147

103.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.70 JMD 110

115.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.27 JMD 356

37.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.08 JMD 483

86.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$3.40 JMD 534

-57.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.70 JMD 424

-7.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.40 JMD 220

26.43%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$3.60 JMD 565

-17.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$11.30 JMD 1,773

-10.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$6.25 JMD 981

61.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$9.17 JMD 1,438

55.94%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$4.18 JMD 656

-0.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.50 JMD 392

-35.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$7.53 JMD 1,181

-70.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.48 JMD 388

-9.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$2.47 JMD 388

-17.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.74 JMD 430

-43.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.53 JMD 397

-53.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.83 JMD 130

57.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$9.48 JMD 1,487

-58.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$11.31 JMD 1,774

23.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.84 JMD 445

-38.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$3.92 JMD 614

-26.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.92 JMD 144

32.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.96 JMD 151

36.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$3.16 JMD 496

-30.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$6.28 JMD 984

38.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.33 JMD 209

3.01%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$45.0K JMD 7.1M

-38.08%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

7.27%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$176 JMD 27.6K

0.88%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$22.70 JMD 3,561

-38.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$48.70 JMD 7,640

-38.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$43.86 JMD 6,881

2.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$8.53 JMD 1,338

-22.04%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$362 JMD 56.8K

124.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$8,159 JMD 1.3M

12.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$23.95 JMD 3,757

273.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$31.22 JMD 4,899

88.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$69.3 JMD 10.9K

99.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$103 JMD 16.1K

-0.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$315 JMD 49.4K

237.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$221 JMD 34.7K

200.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$964 JMD 151.2K

95.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$969 JMD 152.1K

5.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$605 JMD 94.9K

12.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.45

15.77%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Montego Bay: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $315 in Montego Bay. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 12% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $77.0 in Montego Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $330 – 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 Montego Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 44%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,749 in Montego Bay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Montego Bay, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $77.0 in Montego Bay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% 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 Montego Bay, where all-in costs run around $1,166, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Montego Bay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Montego Bay – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Montego Bay. 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.