Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Old Harbour Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Old Harbour

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,030 in Old Harbour, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,729 in Old Harbour, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,428 in Old Harbour, rent included.

Medellin costs about 63% more than Old Harbour, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Old Harbour is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$16.02 JMD 2,510

-49.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$76.7 JMD 12.0K

-37.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$8.77 JMD 1,374

12.77%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$5.49 JMD 861

-42.99%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$1.17 JMD 183

63.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.69 JMD 109

118.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$2.18 JMD 342

43.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$3.25 JMD 510

76.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$4.15 JMD 651

-65.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$3.77 JMD 590

-33.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.59 JMD 249

11.32%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$3.63 JMD 569

-18.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$11.69 JMD 1,832

-13.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$6.16 JMD 965

64.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$10.19 JMD 1,596

40.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$6.26 JMD 980

-33.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$4.03 JMD 631

-60.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$7.36 JMD 1,154

-69.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$2.99 JMD 468

-24.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$3.32 JMD 521

-38.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$2.74 JMD 430

-43.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$3.02 JMD 474

-61.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$1.51 JMD 237

-13.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$9.54 JMD 1,495

-59.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$11.52 JMD 1,806

21.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$2.89 JMD 453

-39.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$4.11 JMD 644

-30.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$1.18 JMD 185

11.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$3.24 JMD 507

-32.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$6.25 JMD 980

39.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.37 JMD 214

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$44.0K JMD 6.9M

-36.76%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

7.36%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$176 JMD 27.6K

0.52%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$30.18 JMD 4,730

-54.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$53.7 JMD 8,421

-44.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$13.56 JMD 2,125

-50.96%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$362 JMD 56.8K

124.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$8,258 JMD 1.3M

11.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$23.54 JMD 3,690

280.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$31.17 JMD 4,885

89.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$77.3 JMD 12.1K

78.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$102 JMD 16.0K

-0.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Old Harbour: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $77.0 in Old Harbour. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $388 – 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 Old Harbour: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 63%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,545 in Old Harbour. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 27% 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 Old Harbour, where all-in costs run around $1,030, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Old Harbour it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Old Harbour – 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 Old Harbour. 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.