Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Portsmouth Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Portsmouth

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,144 in Portsmouth, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,863 in Portsmouth, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,583 in Portsmouth, rent included.

Medellin is about 11% cheaper than Portsmouth, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Portsmouth are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Portsmouth 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.51 EC$14.88

8.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$54.4 EC$147

-39.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.76 EC$18.26

4.88%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.55 EC$6.89

-32.94%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$2.21 EC$5.97

-50.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$1.90 EC$5.12

-58.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$2.66 EC$7.19

-36.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$3.73 EC$10.07

-17.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$2.84 EC$7.67

-61.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$2.17 EC$5.86

-41.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$2.07 EC$5.59

-33.33%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$6.56 EC$17.72

-66.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$2.63 EC$7.10

67.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.44 EC$14.69

3.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$7.58 EC$20.46

-69.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.56 EC$6.92

-58.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$4.17 EC$11.26

-64.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$4.12 EC$11.12

-66.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$2.93 EC$7.91

-60.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$2.80 EC$7.55

-58.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.88 EC$5.07

-52.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.90 EC$5.12

-55.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$11.12 EC$30.01

-4.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.82 EC$4.93

-34.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.57 EC$6.95

-3.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.77 EC$2.09

11.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$3.80 EC$10.25

-61.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$3.61 EC$9.75

-45.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$40.26 EC$109

-76.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$65.4 EC$176

-62.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$37.58 EC$101

-31.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$11.13 EC$30.06

-64.69%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$55.9 EC$151

5.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$23.61 EC$63.8

37.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$55.9 EC$151

83.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$66.7 EC$180

62.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$478 EC$1,292

-0.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$449 EC$1,213

-15.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,006 EC$2,717

-16.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$841 EC$2,272

-13.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$621 EC$1,675

-17.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Portsmouth: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $478 in Portsmouth. 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 21% higher in Portsmouth, 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 $54.0 in Portsmouth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $291 – 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 Portsmouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Portsmouth is pricier by about 13%, 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 $1,716 in Portsmouth. 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.

Groceries cost about 55% more in Portsmouth, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $54.0 in Portsmouth. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Portsmouth at $1,144. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Portsmouth 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Portsmouth makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.