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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,243 in Portmore, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,094 in Portmore, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,944 in Portmore, rent included.

Medellin costs about 35% more than Portmore, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Portmore is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$10.22 JMD 1,602

-21.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$62.2 JMD 9,744

-23.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$8.98 JMD 1,408

10.13%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$5.19 JMD 814

-39.69%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.92 JMD 144

107.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.65 JMD 102

132.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$2.17 JMD 341

43.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$2.18 JMD 341

163.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$3.10 JMD 486

-53.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$3.55 JMD 556

-29.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.00 JMD 156

77.00%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$3.48 JMD 545

-14.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$11.36 JMD 1,780

-11.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$6.46 JMD 1,012

56.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$9.35 JMD 1,465

52.94%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$6.05 JMD 948

-31.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$3.94 JMD 618

-59.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$2.93 JMD 460

-23.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$3.00 JMD 470

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$3.18 JMD 498

-35.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$2.60 JMD 407

-40.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.57 JMD 247

-25.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$1.24 JMD 195

5.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$9.26 JMD 1,451

-57.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$11.47 JMD 1,797

22.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$2.93 JMD 459

-40.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.16 JMD 338

32.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$2.35 JMD 368

-48.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$51.3 JMD 8,042

56.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$0.99 JMD 156

32.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$3.23 JMD 506

-32.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$6.21 JMD 973

40.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.27 JMD 199

7.87%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$44.9K JMD 7.0M

-38.07%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$33.4K JMD 5.2M

6.99%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$161 JMD 25.3K

9.93%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$29.50 JMD 4,623

-52.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$53.6 JMD 8,401

-44.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$59.6 JMD 9,343

-24.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$13.54 JMD 2,122

-50.89%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$284 JMD 44.6K

185.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$3,108 JMD 487.1K

195.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$23.31 JMD 3,654

283.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$32.31 JMD 5,064

82.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$77.9 JMD 12.2K

77.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$94.4 JMD 14.8K

8.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$313 JMD 49.1K

239.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$219 JMD 34.3K

203.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$659 JMD 103.2K

186.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$607 JMD 95.1K

69.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$7,565 JMD 1.2M

-44.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$5,760 JMD 902.8K

-70.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,294 JMD 202.8K

-47.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.45

15.77%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Portmore: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $313 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 91% higher in Portmore, 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 $62.0 in Portmore. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $337 – 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 35%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,864 in Portmore. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Portmore, 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 $62.0 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $1,243 in Portmore. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Portmore, where all-in costs run around $1,243, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Portmore it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Portmore – 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 Portmore. 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.