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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $706 in Old Harbour, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,148 in Old Harbour, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,589 in Old Harbour, rent included.

Medellin costs about 44% more than Old Harbour, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Old Harbour are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Old Harbour 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$6.28 JMD 988

-5.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$31.93 JMD 5,022

4.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.11 JMD 804

41.49%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$4.33 JMD 681

-62.36%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.97 JMD 153

12.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.65 JMD 103

12.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.52 JMD 397

-30.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.12 JMD 490

3.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$4.21 JMD 661

-75.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$3.64 JMD 572

-64.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.61 JMD 253

-18.01%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$3.55 JMD 558

-36.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$3.55 JMD 558

22.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.48 JMD 1,019

-9.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.75 JMD 1,219

11.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$6.04 JMD 950

-62.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.98 JMD 469

-64.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$4.25 JMD 668

-64.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.02 JMD 318

-29.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.12 JMD 333

-44.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.94 JMD 305

-39.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$3.10 JMD 487

-71.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.45 JMD 229

-37.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$8.80 JMD 1,384

-74.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$11.49 JMD 1,807

-3.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.80 JMD 441

-59.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.07 JMD 484

-22.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.09 JMD 171

29.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$3.24 JMD 509

-41.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$6.34 JMD 998

22.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.07 JMD 168

-5.61%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$43.7K JMD 6.9M

-59.78%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

-20.55%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$51.1 JMD 8,032

63.85%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$22.20 JMD 3,491

-57.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$43.35 JMD 6,818

-44.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$13.39 JMD 2,105

-69.38%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$226 JMD 35.6K

37.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$2,512 JMD 395.0K

138.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$26.04 JMD 4,095

122.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$26.00 JMD 4,089

25.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$70.7 JMD 11.1K

40.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$75.4 JMD 11.9K

43.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.15

46.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Old Harbour: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $32.00 in Old Harbour. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $324 in Old Harbour – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 44%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,059 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $32.00 in Old Harbour. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 71% 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 $706, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.