Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Portmore Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Portmore

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,112 in Portmore, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,853 in Portmore, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,594 in Portmore, rent included.

Medellin is about 7% cheaper than Portmore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Portmore are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Portmore 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$4.82 JMD 757

22.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$62.9 JMD 9,885

-47.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.78 JMD 1,380

-18.00%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$4.23 JMD 665

-59.81%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.69 JMD 108

59.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.50 JMD 78.8

44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.85 JMD 291

-9.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.23 JMD 350

39.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$3.05 JMD 479

-65.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$3.63 JMD 571

-65.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.99 JMD 155

40.40%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.53 JMD 554

-35.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$11.18 JMD 1,757

-61.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.44 JMD 1,011

-9.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.50 JMD 1,178

17.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$5.99 JMD 941

-62.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$3.11 JMD 488

-65.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.95 JMD 464

-48.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$3.06 JMD 481

-55.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.01 JMD 315

-43.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.99 JMD 313

-43.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.59 JMD 250

-46.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.28 JMD 201

-28.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$8.71 JMD 1,368

-73.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$11.49 JMD 1,804

-3.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.84 JMD 446

-58.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.26 JMD 354

4.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$1.60 JMD 252

-50.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$62.9 JMD 9,884

-34.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.91 JMD 143

58.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$3.25 JMD 510

-41.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$6.29 JMD 988

27.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.08 JMD 170

-12.96%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$42.7K JMD 6.7M

-58.05%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

-20.69%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$156 JMD 24.5K

-46.08%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$22.40 JMD 3,518

-57.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$51.8 JMD 8,129

-53.32%

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

$13.17 JMD 2,068

-70.24%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$224 JMD 35.2K

36.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$2,479 JMD 389.4K

138.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$25.93 JMD 4,073

123.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$25.32 JMD 3,977

25.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$69.7 JMD 11.0K

43.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$74.9 JMD 11.8K

43.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$314 JMD 49.4K

54.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$215 JMD 33.8K

70.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$646 JMD 101.5K

27.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$598 JMD 93.8K

19.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$7,724 JMD 1.2M

-62.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$5,745 JMD 902.3K

-75.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,267 JMD 199.0K

-56.95%

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 Portmore: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $314 in Portmore. 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 132% higher in Portmore, 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 $63.0 in Portmore. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $322 – 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 Portmore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Portmore is pricier by about 8%, 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 $1,668 in Portmore. 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 $63.0 in Portmore. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $1,112 in Portmore. 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 $1,034, than in Portmore at $1,112. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Portmore 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, Portmore makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.