Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Saint Helier Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Saint Helier

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $3,315 in Saint Helier, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $5,404 in Saint Helier, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $7,493 in Saint Helier, rent included.

Medellin is about 69% cheaper than Saint Helier, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Saint Helier is 147% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$37.77 JEP 28.06

-84.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$138 JEP 103

-76.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$11.01 JEP 8.18

-35.60%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$5.11 JEP 3.80

-66.54%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$3.15 JEP 2.34

-65.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$2.57 JEP 1.91

-69.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$8.24 JEP 6.12

-79.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$8.37 JEP 6.22

-63.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$2.24 JEP 1.67

-51.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$2.31 JEP 1.72

-45.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$3.44 JEP 2.56

-59.88%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$5.98 JEP 4.44

-63.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.25 JEP 6.87

-52.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$11.69 JEP 8.69

-51.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$19.10 JEP 14.19

-53.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$4.35 JEP 3.24

-46.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$3.16 JEP 2.35

-66.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$4.31 JEP 3.20

-65.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$4.15 JEP 3.08

-66.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$4.05 JEP 3.01

-71.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$3.92 JEP 2.91

-70.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$2.04 JEP 1.52

-56.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$2.45 JEP 1.82

-65.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$15.74 JEP 11.70

-85.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$10.62 JEP 7.89

0.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$4.51 JEP 3.35

-73.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$7.35 JEP 5.46

-66.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$3.05 JEP 2.27

-71.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$69.2 JEP 51.4

-40.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$6.26 JEP 4.65

-76.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$3.92 JEP 2.91

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$33.52 JEP 24.90

-76.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$2.17 JEP 1.61

-56.22%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$22.6K JEP 16.8K

-19.63%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$33.3K JEP 24.7K

-20.47%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$242 JEP 180

-66.02%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$24.99 JEP 18.57

-61.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$75.0 JEP 55.7

-67.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$69.0 JEP 51.3

-62.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$25.09 JEP 18.64

-24.27%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$21.07 JEP 15.66

-81.35%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$2,217 JEP 1,647

-86.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$17.3K JEP 12.9K

-65.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$109 JEP 80.8

-46.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$71.7 JEP 53.3

-54.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$129 JEP 95.8

-20.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$215 JEP 160

-49.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$2,030 JEP 1,508

-76.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$1,650 JEP 1,226

-77.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$3,871 JEP 2,876

-78.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$3,538 JEP 2,629

-79.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$11.9K JEP 8,831

-76.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$10.4K JEP 7,759

-88.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$4,831 JEP 3,590

-89.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.85

248.83%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Saint Helier: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $2,030 in Saint Helier. 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 844% higher in Saint Helier, 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 $138 in Saint Helier. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $421 – 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 Helier: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saint Helier is pricier by about 227%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $4,972 in Saint Helier. 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 $138 in Saint Helier. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $3,315 in Saint Helier. 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 $1,013, than in Saint Helier at $3,315. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint Helier 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, Saint Helier makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.