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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,102 in Portmore, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,849 in Portmore, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,595 in Portmore, rent included.

Medellin is about 9% cheaper than Portmore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Portmore are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Portmore 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 19.1K

$4.80 JMD 755

23.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 106.5K

$62.4 JMD 9,810

-47.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 24.0K

$8.68 JMD 1,365

-14.40%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,343

$4.41 JMD 693

-62.59%

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

$1.10 COP 3,559

$0.63 JMD 98.7

74.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,523

$0.50 JMD 78.9

56.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,553

$1.84 JMD 289

-6.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.3K

$2.25 JMD 354

41.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,565

$3.10 JMD 487

-64.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,066

$3.55 JMD 558

-64.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,463

$1.02 JMD 160

35.29%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 7,038

$3.58 JMD 563

-39.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.5K

$10.86 JMD 1,707

-58.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.7K

$6.19 JMD 973

-6.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 29.0K

$7.48 JMD 1,175

19.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,499

$5.91 JMD 929

-60.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,440

$2.99 JMD 470

-64.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,899

$2.88 JMD 453

-47.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,381

$3.04 JMD 478

-55.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,645

$2.10 JMD 330

-46.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,785

$1.92 JMD 302

-39.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,912

$1.52 JMD 239

-40.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,897

$1.27 JMD 200

-29.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,218

$8.66 JMD 1,361

-74.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 39.2K

$11.16 JMD 1,754

8.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,841

$2.80 JMD 440

-57.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,020

$2.13 JMD 335

16.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,758

$1.59 JMD 250

-46.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 134.5K

$63.4 JMD 9,968

-34.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,575

$0.93 JMD 146

52.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,302

$3.22 JMD 507

-39.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.5K

$6.43 JMD 1,011

22.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,200

$1.09 JMD 171

-9.17%

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

$17.6K COP 56.9M

$42.4K JMD 6.7M

-58.45%

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

$26.8K COP 86.6M

$33.6K JMD 5.3M

-20.22%

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

$83.0 COP 268.2K

$156 JMD 24.6K

-46.94%

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

$9.70 COP 31.3K

$21.70 JMD 3,411

-55.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 76.0K

$51.4 JMD 8,082

-54.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 61.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.8K

$13.24 JMD 2,081

-70.17%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$227 JMD 35.6K

39.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.3M

$2,450 JMD 385.1K

143.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 193.8K

$25.67 JMD 4,035

133.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 102.8K

$26.00 JMD 4,087

22.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 328.5K

$71.3 JMD 11.2K

42.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 347.2K

$77.3 JMD 12.2K

38.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$310 JMD 48.8K

53.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$223 JMD 35.0K

67.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$661 JMD 103.9K

28.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$583 JMD 91.7K

23.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.5M

$7,530 JMD 1.2M

-56.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.7M

$5,860 JMD 921.2K

-75.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,312 JMD 206.3K

-52.42%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Portmore: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $310 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 110% 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 $62.0 in Portmore. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $317 – 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 10%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,653 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 $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 $1,003 in Medellin and $1,102 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 $1,003, than in Portmore at $1,102. 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.