Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Port of Spain Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Port of Spain

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,613 in Port of Spain, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $2,727 in Port of Spain, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $3,841 in Port of Spain, rent included.

Medellin costs about 6% more than Port of Spain, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Port of Spain sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Port of Spain by 17%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$10.54 TTD 70.1

-23.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$90.5 TTD 602

-46.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$8.75 TTD 58.2

11.66%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$3.80 TTD 25.29

-23.42%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$1.05 TTD 6.99

84.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$0.71 TTD 4.71

114.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$2.28 TTD 15.15

35.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$3.68 TTD 24.51

55.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$2.44 TTD 16.27

-44.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$2.51 TTD 16.72

-4.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$2.88 TTD 19.15

-40.97%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$4.53 TTD 30.15

-36.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$6.85 TTD 45.56

45.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$10.12 TTD 67.4

6.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$11.83 TTD 78.7

24.51%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$5.61 TTD 37.33

-27.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$3.02 TTD 20.11

-48.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$3.79 TTD 25.24

-43.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$4.27 TTD 28.41

-48.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$2.15 TTD 14.31

-4.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$1.95 TTD 12.94

-23.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$1.84 TTD 12.27

-35.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$1.42 TTD 9.42

-18.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$6.06 TTD 40.30

-35.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$18.94 TTD 126

-23.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$2.24 TTD 14.90

-29.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$2.97 TTD 19.79

-4.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$1.17 TTD 7.77

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

$136 TTD 902

-42.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$1.03 TTD 6.82

24.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$1.24 TTD 8.23

68.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$14.97 TTD 99.6

-42.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$1.17 TTD 7.79

11.11%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$37.4K TTD 248.8K

-26.04%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$41.7K TTD 277.6K

-14.87%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$91.5 TTD 609

92.38%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$52.4 TTD 349

-74.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$57.5 TTD 382

-48.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$57.1 TTD 380

-21.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

$13.12 TTD 87.3

30.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$8.72 TTD 58.0

-28.90%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$399 TTD 2,655

98.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$11.1K TTD 73.8K

-18.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$54.8 TTD 364

56.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$52.9 TTD 352

10.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$147 TTD 981

-7.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$103 TTD 685

0.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$1,028 TTD 6,841

3.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$518 TTD 3,449

31.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$2,187 TTD 14.6K

-7.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$1,195 TTD 7,949

-2.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$4,371 TTD 29.1K

-5.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,974 TTD 13.1K

-13.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$776 TTD 5,165

-14.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.75

90.26%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Port of Spain: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $1,028 in Port of Spain. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 17% higher in Port of Spain, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $90.0 in Port of Spain. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $358 – 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 Port of Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $2,420 in Port of Spain. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Port of Spain, 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 $90.0 in Port of Spain. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,716 in Medellin and $1,613 in Port of Spain. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Port of Spain, where all-in costs run around $1,613, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Port of Spain it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Port of Spain – 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 Port of Spain. 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.