Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Negril Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Negril

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $948 in Negril, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,482 in Negril, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,016 in Negril, rent included.

Medellin costs about 73% more than Negril, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Negril is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$9.40 JMD 1,476

-14.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$50.8 JMD 7,981

-4.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$8.93 JMD 1,403

5.49%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.05 JMD 322

43.41%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.24 JMD 195

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.73 JMD 115

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.25 JMD 354

42.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.20 JMD 502

78.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$4.22 JMD 663

-65.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$3.57 JMD 561

-32.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.62 JMD 255

4.94%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$3.60 JMD 565

-19.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$11.32 JMD 1,777

-11.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$6.19 JMD 972

61.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$10.20 JMD 1,602

39.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$6.22 JMD 977

-36.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$4.01 JMD 629

-60.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$7.55 JMD 1,186

-71.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$2.97 JMD 466

-22.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$3.31 JMD 519

-39.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.67 JMD 419

-43.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$3.00 JMD 471

-60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.45 JMD 228

-11.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$9.53 JMD 1,497

-59.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$11.53 JMD 1,812

21.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.85 JMD 447

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$3.99 JMD 626

-31.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$1.21 JMD 191

8.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$3.25 JMD 511

-33.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$6.17 JMD 970

34.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.40 JMD 219

-2.86%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$44.1K JMD 6.9M

-37.68%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$32.7K JMD 5.1M

11.67%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$175 JMD 27.5K

-3.64%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$29.72 JMD 4,669

-54.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$53.8 JMD 8,448

-47.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$13.46 JMD 2,114

-50.59%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$367 JMD 57.6K

118.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$8,347 JMD 1.3M

10.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$23.68 JMD 3,719

268.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$31.28 JMD 4,914

89.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$78.7 JMD 12.4K

76.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$102 JMD 16.0K

0.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$1,010 JMD 158.7K

6.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

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 7, 2026

Last update for Negril: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $1,010 in Negril. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $51.0 in Negril. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $384 – 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 Negril: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 73%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,422 in Negril. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 28% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Negril, where all-in costs run around $948, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Negril it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Negril – 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 Negril. 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.