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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,086 in Portmore, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,829 in Portmore, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,572 in Portmore, rent included.

Medellin is about 6% cheaper than Portmore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Portmore are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Portmore 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$4.79 JMD 754

24.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$62.6 JMD 9,843

-46.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.99 JMD 1,413

-19.58%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$4.39 JMD 691

-62.87%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.63 JMD 99.8

73.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.55 JMD 85.8

32.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.93 JMD 303

-9.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.21 JMD 348

46.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$3.06 JMD 481

-65.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$3.60 JMD 566

-64.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.01 JMD 159

30.69%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$3.50 JMD 550

-35.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$11.11 JMD 1,748

-60.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.26 JMD 984

-6.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.48 JMD 1,177

15.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$5.86 JMD 922

-61.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$3.01 JMD 473

-64.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.93 JMD 461

-48.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.96 JMD 466

-52.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.04 JMD 321

-42.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.94 JMD 305

-39.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.59 JMD 250

-44.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.24 JMD 195

-27.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$8.96 JMD 1,409

-74.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$11.53 JMD 1,814

-4.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.84 JMD 447

-59.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.13 JMD 334

11.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.52 JMD 240

-44.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$63.3 JMD 9,958

-33.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.92 JMD 145

53.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$3.19 JMD 502

-40.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$6.31 JMD 993

22.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.08 JMD 171

-6.48%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$42.6K JMD 6.7M

-58.73%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$33.1K JMD 5.2M

-19.93%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$155 JMD 24.4K

-46.04%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$21.91 JMD 3,446

-56.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$50.2 JMD 7,897

-51.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$13.38 JMD 2,104

-69.36%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$226 JMD 35.5K

38.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$2,515 JMD 395.6K

138.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$26.22 JMD 4,123

121.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$26.01 JMD 4,090

25.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$72.3 JMD 11.4K

37.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$75.9 JMD 11.9K

42.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$317 JMD 49.9K

51.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$218 JMD 34.3K

74.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$663 JMD 104.2K

26.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$597 JMD 93.9K

21.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$7,779 JMD 1.2M

-63.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$5,891 JMD 926.4K

-79.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,294 JMD 203.5K

-58.21%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Portmore: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $317 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 139% 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 $318 – 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 7%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,629 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $1,086 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 $1,017, than in Portmore at $1,086. 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.