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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,593 in Port of Spain, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $2,747 in Port of Spain, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $3,901 in Port of Spain, rent included.

Medellin is about 35% cheaper than Port of Spain, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Port of Spain is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$10.50 TTD 70.7

-41.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$89.6 TTD 602

-63.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.27 TTD 48.90

0.96%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.73 TTD 25.11

-53.89%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.10 TTD 7.40

-4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.76 TTD 5.13

1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.90 TTD 12.80

-11.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.02 TTD 20.34

4.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.71 TTD 18.24

-61.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.82 TTD 18.98

-53.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.61 TTD 17.57

-46.36%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$5.14 TTD 34.58

-57.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.77 TTD 52.3

-43.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$10.60 TTD 71.3

-44.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$14.37 TTD 96.7

-39.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$5.79 TTD 38.97

-60.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.54 TTD 17.06

-56.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$4.24 TTD 28.54

-63.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$4.87 TTD 32.76

-72.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.48 TTD 9.95

-23.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.67 TTD 11.27

-32.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.94 TTD 13.03

-56.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.42 TTD 9.53

-35.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$6.06 TTD 40.76

-61.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$19.02 TTD 128

-34.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.22 TTD 14.92

-45.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.73 TTD 18.39

-8.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.05 TTD 7.04

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$99.0 TTD 666

-59.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.02 TTD 6.85

39.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.29 TTD 8.65

48.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$14.61 TTD 98.3

-47.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.14 TTD 7.65

-13.16%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$34.4K TTD 231.3K

-47.56%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$38.3K TTD 257.3K

-30.39%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$79.6 TTD 536

1.49%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$46.31 TTD 311

-78.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$61.4 TTD 413

-60.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$54.2 TTD 365

-53.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$13.11 TTD 88.2

46.07%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$10.23 TTD 68.8

-61.09%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$330 TTD 2,221

-7.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$7,163 TTD 48.2K

-15.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$60.1 TTD 404

-3.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$38.87 TTD 261

-17.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$143 TTD 965

-29.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$128 TTD 860

-15.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$765 TTD 5,144

-37.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$483 TTD 3,247

-22.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,824 TTD 12.3K

-53.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,285 TTD 8,646

-43.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$4,344 TTD 29.2K

-25.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,726 TTD 11.6K

-20.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$770 TTD 5,177

-19.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.38

149.63%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Port of Spain: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $765 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 25% higher in Port of Spain, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $90.0 in Port of Spain. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $378 – 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 – Port of Spain is pricier by about 55%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $2,390 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 Medellin, 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 $33.00 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $1,593 in Port of Spain. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Port of Spain at $1,593. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port of Spain it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Port of Spain makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.