Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Saint Andrew Parish Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Saint Andrew Parish

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,487 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,416 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $3,345 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

Medellin costs about 13% more than Saint Andrew Parish, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Saint Andrew Parish sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Saint Andrew Parish by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$15.54 JMD 2,435

-48.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$66.6 JMD 10.4K

-28.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$8.64 JMD 1,353

14.47%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$5.49 JMD 860

-42.99%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$1.20 JMD 189

59.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.73 JMD 115

106.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$2.26 JMD 354

38.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$3.23 JMD 506

78.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$3.40 JMD 532

-57.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$2.53 JMD 397

-1.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.57 JMD 246

12.74%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$3.51 JMD 550

-15.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$11.68 JMD 1,831

-13.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$6.44 JMD 1,009

57.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$10.52 JMD 1,648

35.93%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$5.92 JMD 929

-30.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$4.01 JMD 629

-59.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$5.01 JMD 785

-55.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$3.08 JMD 483

-26.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$3.21 JMD 504

-36.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$2.72 JMD 426

-43.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.86 JMD 292

-37.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.99 JMD 155

32.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$9.36 JMD 1,467

-58.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$11.36 JMD 1,781

23.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$2.61 JMD 409

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$3.15 JMD 493

-8.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.60 JMD 94.7

103.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$0.90 JMD 141

45.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$3.12 JMD 488

-29.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$6.48 JMD 1,016

34.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.28 JMD 200

7.03%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$43.7K JMD 6.8M

-36.28%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$25.2K JMD 4.0M

41.72%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$113 JMD 17.8K

56.23%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$29.07 JMD 4,556

-52.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$53.4 JMD 8,367

-44.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$61.1 JMD 9,581

-26.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$13.49 JMD 2,114

-50.70%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$258 JMD 40.5K

214.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$8,164 JMD 1.3M

12.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$23.76 JMD 3,724

276.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$31.85 JMD 4,991

85.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$77.1 JMD 12.1K

79.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$74.9 JMD 11.7K

36.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$826 JMD 129.5K

28.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$520 JMD 81.4K

27.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$1,714 JMD 268.6K

10.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,116 JMD 174.9K

-7.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$2,708 JMD 424.4K

54.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$736 JMD 115.4K

-7.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

21.56%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Saint Andrew Parish: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $826 in Saint Andrew Parish. 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 9% higher in Saint Andrew Parish, 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 $67.0 in Saint Andrew Parish. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $344 – 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 Saint Andrew Parish: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 13%, 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 $2,230 in Saint Andrew Parish. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saint Andrew Parish, 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 $67.0 in Saint Andrew Parish. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Saint Andrew Parish, where all-in costs run around $1,487, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Saint Andrew Parish it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saint Andrew Parish – 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 Saint Andrew Parish. 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.