Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Negril

For one person, living is cheaper in Negril: $927 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $8,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Negril, Jamaica
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Negril
🇯🇲 Jamaica
$927
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Negril

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Negril actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $927 in Negril, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Negril $927

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $1,478 in Negril, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Negril $1,478

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $2,029 in Negril, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Negril $2,029

Medellin costs about 77% more than Negril, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Negril is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Negril
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 25.4K
$9.68 JMD 1,526
-16.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 148.0K
$49.26 JMD 7,767
-4.49%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 29.9K
$8.05 JMD 1,269
18.01%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,485
$2.05 JMD 323
46.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,660
$1.15 JMD 181
56.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,443
$0.74 JMD 117
90.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 9,990
$2.16 JMD 341
47.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.1K
$3.19 JMD 503
80.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Negril
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,751
$4.02 JMD 634
-62.44%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,480
$3.37 JMD 532
-29.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,573
$1.58 JMD 249
12.03%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,093
$3.51 JMD 554
-17.66%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.1K
$11.25 JMD 1,773
-9.42%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.1K
$6.33 JMD 998
55.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 44.0K
$10.19 JMD 1,606
37.29%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.5K
$6.06 JMD 956
-34.49%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 4,883
$3.96 JMD 624
-60.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,867
$7.47 JMD 1,177
-70.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,870
$2.99 JMD 471
-27.09%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,174
$3.15 JMD 497
-37.78%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,000
$2.58 JMD 406
-38.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,604
$2.99 JMD 472
-61.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,911
$1.44 JMD 227
-13.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.5K
$9.33 JMD 1,471
-57.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 43.0K
$11.27 JMD 1,776
21.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,222
$2.92 JMD 460
-43.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,104
$3.94 JMD 622
-42.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Negril
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,674
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 243.4K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 3,989
$1.22 JMD 193
4.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,442
$3.23 JMD 509
-36.53%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 26.9K
$6.36 JMD 1,002
34.43%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,237
$1.47 JMD 232
-8.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 107.2M
$43.7K JMD 6.9M
-22.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 109.1M
$32.6K JMD 5.1M
6.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Negril
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 533.7K
$166 JMD 26.2K
2.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 42.6K
$29.95 JMD 4,722
-54.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 88.3K
$51.9 JMD 8,179
-45.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Negril
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 137.5K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 54.1K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 21.7K
$13.26 JMD 2,090
-47.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Negril
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.5M
$362 JMD 57.0K
120.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 28.7M
$8,121 JMD 1.3M
12.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Negril
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 266.5K
$23.75 JMD 3,745
256.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 182.3K
$30.90 JMD 4,873
87.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 424.6K
$76.9 JMD 12.1K
75.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 307.9K
$104 JMD 16.4K
-5.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Negril
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.8M
$1,005 JMD 158.5K
20.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.0M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.4M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.2M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.1M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.0M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Negril
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
-
-
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: October 25, 2026

Last update for Negril: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Negril
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Negril
$378 27.3% $81
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Negril
$248 17.4% $37
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Negril
$151 11% $19
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Negril
$106 37.3% $63
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Negril
$17 * 81.5% $76
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Negril
$27 * 53.9% $31

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $1,005 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 $47 in Medellin versus $49 in Negril. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $378 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇯🇲 Negril
🕒 Local time
08:02 8:02 AM
08:02 8:02 AM
Same time as Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
13,779
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JMD, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,501 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

Jamaican Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JMD (1,000 JMD = 6.34 USD). 1 EUR = 176 JMD (1,000 JMD = 5.7 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Negril 1,370 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Negril

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Negril cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 77%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $1,390 in Negril. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Negril, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,005 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Negril?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $49 in Negril. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Negril?
Interestingly, groceries are about 21% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Negril?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Negril, where all-in costs run around $927, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Negril it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Negril more family-friendly?
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.

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