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 $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,573 in Port of Spain, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,743 in Port of Spain, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $3,913 in Port of Spain, rent included.

Medellin is about 36% cheaper than Port of Spain, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Port of Spain is 17% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$10.21 TTD 68.4

-41.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$89.4 TTD 599

-63.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.31 TTD 48.97

-3.01%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.66 TTD 24.54

-53.28%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.05 TTD 7.01

4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.82 TTD 5.50

-4.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.81 TTD 12.13

-7.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.05 TTD 20.46

0.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$2.63 TTD 17.61

-58.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$2.71 TTD 18.16

-53.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.56 TTD 17.16

-46.09%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$5.03 TTD 33.73

-56.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.98 TTD 53.5

-44.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$10.31 TTD 69.1

-45.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$14.21 TTD 95.2

-37.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$5.73 TTD 38.38

-59.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.51 TTD 16.79

-57.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$4.34 TTD 29.05

-65.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$4.82 TTD 32.28

-71.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.45 TTD 9.71

-20.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.67 TTD 11.18

-30.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.96 TTD 13.15

-54.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.47 TTD 9.84

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$5.77 TTD 38.67

-60.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$18.09 TTD 121

-41.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.17 TTD 14.55

-44.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.85 TTD 19.07

-13.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$1.06 TTD 7.10

-18.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$95.6 TTD 641

-56.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.05 TTD 7.01

40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.28 TTD 8.56

53.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$14.91 TTD 99.9

-48.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.09 TTD 7.31

-12.84%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$34.1K TTD 228.1K

-46.75%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$38.0K TTD 254.6K

-30.31%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$80.6 TTD 540

2.00%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$45.86 TTD 307

-79.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$61.2 TTD 410

-60.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$53.7 TTD 360

-51.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$13.24 TTD 88.7

43.50%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$10.05 TTD 67.3

-60.90%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$329 TTD 2,203

-5.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$7,096 TTD 47.5K

-15.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$59.5 TTD 398

-1.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$38.55 TTD 258

-16.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$144 TTD 967

-28.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$127 TTD 849

-14.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$759 TTD 5,086

-37.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$479 TTD 3,208

-20.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,841 TTD 12.3K

-54.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,273 TTD 8,526

-43.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$4,382 TTD 29.4K

-36.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,724 TTD 11.5K

-29.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$733 TTD 4,908

-30.13%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Port of Spain: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $759 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 43% 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 $89.0 in Port of Spain. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $373 – 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $2,360 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 $89.0 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $1,573 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 $1,013, than in Port of Spain at $1,573. 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.