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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $711 in Old Harbour, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,166 in Old Harbour, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,621 in Old Harbour, rent included.

Medellin costs about 45% more than Old Harbour, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Old Harbour are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Old Harbour 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$6.21 JMD 976

-4.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$31.39 JMD 4,930

4.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.97 JMD 780

44.87%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$4.24 JMD 666

-59.91%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.97 JMD 152

13.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.60 JMD 94.7

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.53 JMD 397

-33.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.06 JMD 481

1.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$4.34 JMD 682

-75.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$3.65 JMD 573

-65.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.63 JMD 257

-14.72%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.55 JMD 557

-36.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$3.43 JMD 538

26.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.27 JMD 985

-6.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.74 JMD 1,216

14.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$6.11 JMD 960

-63.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$3.10 JMD 487

-65.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$4.12 JMD 647

-62.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.08 JMD 327

-34.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.02 JMD 317

-44.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.92 JMD 301

-41.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$3.13 JMD 492

-72.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.43 JMD 225

-36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$8.58 JMD 1,347

-72.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$11.33 JMD 1,780

-1.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.87 JMD 450

-58.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.15 JMD 495

-24.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.09 JMD 171

32.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$3.24 JMD 508

-41.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$6.13 JMD 962

30.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.07 JMD 169

-12.15%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$42.8K JMD 6.7M

-58.17%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

-20.73%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$49.29 JMD 7,741

70.34%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$22.49 JMD 3,532

-57.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$43.21 JMD 6,786

-44.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$13.26 JMD 2,082

-70.44%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$230 JMD 36.1K

33.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$2,485 JMD 390.2K

138.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$25.58 JMD 4,018

126.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$25.78 JMD 4,049

23.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$71.2 JMD 11.2K

40.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$76.1 JMD 12.0K

40.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

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

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Old Harbour: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $31.00 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 45%, 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 $1,067 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 $31.00 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 $711, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.