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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $3,333 in Saint Helier, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $5,458 in Saint Helier, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $7,584 in Saint Helier, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Saint Helier is 149% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$36.81 JEP 27.39

-83.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$135 JEP 100

-75.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$10.82 JEP 8.05

-32.16%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$5.04 JEP 3.75

-65.87%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$3.25 JEP 2.42

-67.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$2.55 JEP 1.90

-69.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$8.05 JEP 5.99

-79.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$8.16 JEP 6.07

-61.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.26 JEP 1.68

-53.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.39 JEP 1.78

-45.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$3.56 JEP 2.65

-60.67%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$5.87 JEP 4.37

-63.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.28 JEP 6.90

-52.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$11.59 JEP 8.62

-49.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$19.44 JEP 14.46

-55.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$4.46 JEP 3.32

-48.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$3.25 JEP 2.42

-65.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$4.32 JEP 3.21

-64.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$4.30 JEP 3.20

-68.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$3.86 JEP 2.87

-70.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$3.94 JEP 2.93

-71.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.02 JEP 1.50

-57.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$2.45 JEP 1.82

-62.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$15.40 JEP 11.45

-84.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.55 JEP 7.85

17.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$4.58 JEP 3.40

-73.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$7.60 JEP 5.65

-67.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$3.11 JEP 2.31

-72.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$68.3 JEP 50.8

-40.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$6.02 JEP 4.48

-76.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$3.80 JEP 2.82

-49.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$33.75 JEP 25.11

-77.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$2.21 JEP 1.65

-55.20%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$22.4K JEP 16.7K

-19.45%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$33.8K JEP 25.1K

-21.20%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$247 JEP 184

-67.24%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$25.30 JEP 18.82

-60.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$76.4 JEP 56.8

-68.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$69.7 JEP 51.9

-64.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$24.72 JEP 18.39

-22.53%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$21.47 JEP 15.97

-81.46%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$2,208 JEP 1,643

-86.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$17.4K JEP 13.0K

-65.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$108 JEP 80.3

-46.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$73.6 JEP 54.7

-56.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$129 JEP 96.1

-22.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$213 JEP 158

-49.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$1,999 JEP 1,487

-76.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$1,647 JEP 1,225

-77.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$3,867 JEP 2,877

-78.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$3,473 JEP 2,584

-78.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$11.6K JEP 8,599

-72.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$10.3K JEP 7,643

-86.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$4,665 JEP 3,471

-86.78%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Saint Helier: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $1,999 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 656% 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 $135 in Saint Helier. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $425 – 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 223%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $5,000 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 $135 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $3,333 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 $1,031, than in Saint Helier at $3,333. 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.