Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Portsmouth, Dominica

For one person, living is cheaper in Portsmouth: $921 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Portsmouth, Dominica
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Portsmouth
🇩🇲 Dominica
$921
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Portsmouth

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Portsmouth actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $921 in Portsmouth, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Portsmouth $921

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $1,637 in Portsmouth, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Portsmouth $1,637

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $2,353 in Portsmouth, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Portsmouth $2,353

Medellin costs about 78% more than Portsmouth, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Portsmouth is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Portsmouth
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$5.42 EC$14.64
49.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.9K
$54.6 EC$147
-13.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.7K
$6.48 EC$17.51
46.60%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,735
$2.56 EC$6.90
17.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,809
$2.21 EC$5.96
-18.55%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,561
$1.83 EC$4.94
-22.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.3K
$2.56 EC$6.91
24.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.6K
$3.73 EC$10.06
54.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Portsmouth
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,876
$2.70 EC$7.30
-44.07%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,678
$2.25 EC$6.08
5.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,720
$2.05 EC$5.54
-13.66%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,333
$6.71 EC$18.12
-56.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$2.63 EC$7.10
287.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.9K
$5.57 EC$15.04
77.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.2K
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$7.43 EC$20.06
-46.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,012
$2.61 EC$7.05
-40.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,048
$4.10 EC$11.07
-46.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,051
$4.01 EC$10.83
-45.64%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,337
$2.78 EC$7.50
-29.50%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,132
$2.80 EC$7.57
-43.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,699
$1.83 EC$4.95
-37.16%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,014
$1.81 EC$4.88
-31.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.2K
$10.91 EC$29.47
25.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,359
$1.89 EC$5.10
-12.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,291
$2.65 EC$7.17
-14.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Portsmouth
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,771
$0.77 EC$2.08
51.95%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.8K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,094
$3.78 EC$10.22
-66.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,612
$3.63 EC$9.80
-43.53%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,349
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.0M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.9M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Portsmouth
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.8K
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.8K
$41.40 EC$112
-67.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.6K
$64.8 EC$175
-56.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Portsmouth
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 141.1K
$36.86 EC$99.5
18.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$11.22 EC$30.31
-38.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Portsmouth
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Portsmouth
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.5K
$55.6 EC$150
52.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 187.2K
$24.30 EC$65.6
138.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.8K
$56.1 EC$152
140.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 316.0K
$67.7 EC$183
44.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Portsmouth
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
$254 EC$686
375.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
$220 EC$593
192.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
$656 EC$1,772
209.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
$637 EC$1,720
58.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.5M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Portsmouth
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$641 EC$1,731
2.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
0
-

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Portsmouth: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Portsmouth
–
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Portsmouth
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Portsmouth
–
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Portsmouth
–
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Portsmouth
–
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Portsmouth
–
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Portsmouth
–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $254 in Portsmouth. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $55 in Portsmouth. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Medellin vs $289 in Portsmouth – so Portsmouth wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇩🇲 Portsmouth
🕒 Local time
09:52 9:52 AM
10:52 10:52 AM
1 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
3,633
Exchange rates and currency converter

XCD, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,603 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

East Caribbean Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 2.7 XCD (1 XCD = 0.37 USD). 1 EUR = 3.01 XCD (1 XCD = 0.332 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Portsmouth 1,860 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Portsmouth

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Portsmouth cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 78%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $1,381 in Portsmouth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Portsmouth, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $254 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Portsmouth?
Groceries cost about 3% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Portsmouth?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $55 in Portsmouth. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in Portsmouth?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $921 in Portsmouth to $1,639 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Medellin vs other spots: cost of living compared

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