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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,287 in Montego Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,759 in Montego Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,231 in Montego Bay, rent included.

Medellin is about 20% cheaper than Montego Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Montego Bay are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Montego Bay 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$7.69 JMD 1,208

-23.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$50.9 JMD 7,988

-35.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.30 JMD 1,147

-1.37%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$4.38 JMD 688

-61.19%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.37 JMD 216

-19.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.71 JMD 112

1.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.48 JMD 389

-32.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.08 JMD 484

0.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.52 JMD 396

-57.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.68 JMD 421

-53.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.57 JMD 246

-11.46%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.60 JMD 565

-37.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$11.03 JMD 1,732

-60.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.43 JMD 1,010

-9.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.77 JMD 1,220

13.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.37 JMD 529

-33.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$3.09 JMD 486

-65.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.84 JMD 445

-46.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.76 JMD 277

-22.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.12 JMD 333

-46.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.13 JMD 177

-0.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.91 JMD 300

-55.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.93 JMD 146

-2.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$8.61 JMD 1,352

-72.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$11.46 JMD 1,800

-2.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.11 JMD 331

-43.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.06 JMD 481

-22.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.93 JMD 146

-15.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.93 JMD 146

54.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$3.22 JMD 505

-40.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$6.37 JMD 1,001

25.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.24 JMD 195

-24.19%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$42.3K JMD 6.6M

-57.62%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$34.1K JMD 5.4M

-21.44%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$163 JMD 25.6K

-48.42%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$21.26 JMD 3,339

-54.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$47.70 JMD 7,491

-49.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$37.35 JMD 5,866

-30.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$7.54 JMD 1,185

-48.01%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$62.6 JMD 9,827

389.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$1,882 JMD 295.6K

214.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$26.12 JMD 4,102

121.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$20.10 JMD 3,157

58.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$66.2 JMD 10.4K

50.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$75.8 JMD 11.9K

41.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$257 JMD 40.3K

89.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$461 JMD 72.4K

-20.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$669 JMD 105.0K

23.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$431 JMD 67.7K

66.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$562 JMD 88.3K

-2.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

67.88%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Montego Bay: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $257 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 3% higher in Montego Bay, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $51.0 in Montego Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $284 – 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 – Montego Bay is pricier by about 25%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,931 in Montego Bay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $51.0 in Montego Bay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% more in Montego Bay, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Montego Bay at $1,287. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montego Bay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montego Bay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.