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 $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $3,426 in Saint Helier, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $5,205 in Saint Helier, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $6,984 in Saint Helier, rent included.

Medellin is about 51% cheaper than Saint Helier, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Saint Helier sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Saint Helier by 150%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$41.09 JEP 30.49

-80.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$121 JEP 89.4

-60.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$10.94 JEP 8.12

-9.60%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$4.83 JEP 3.58

-35.20%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$3.38 JEP 2.51

-43.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$2.50 JEP 1.85

-39.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$8.33 JEP 6.18

-62.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$6.29 JEP 4.67

-8.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.31 JEP 1.72

-37.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.78 JEP 2.07

-10.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$3.69 JEP 2.74

-52.03%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$6.47 JEP 4.80

-54.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$7.35 JEP 5.45

37.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$12.07 JEP 8.95

-16.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$18.39 JEP 13.64

-22.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$4.30 JEP 3.19

-3.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$3.62 JEP 2.69

-55.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$4.29 JEP 3.18

-47.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$4.50 JEP 3.34

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$3.24 JEP 2.40

-37.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$3.17 JEP 2.35

-51.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.91 JEP 1.42

-38.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$2.57 JEP 1.91

-49.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$20.52 JEP 15.22

-80.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$10.86 JEP 8.05

29.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$4.64 JEP 3.44

-62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$7.85 JEP 5.82

-63.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$3.29 JEP 2.44

-62.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$69.4 JEP 51.5

15.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$5.41 JEP 4.02

-75.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$2.58 JEP 1.91

-15.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$54.2 JEP 40.23

-83.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$2.10 JEP 1.56

-34.76%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$27.4K JEP 20.3K

1.53%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$36.7K JEP 27.2K

-2.52%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$331 JEP 246

-46.41%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$46.21 JEP 34.29

-69.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$74.2 JEP 55.1

-59.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$78.0 JEP 57.9

-42.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$28.28 JEP 20.98

-39.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$20.05 JEP 14.87

-66.83%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$2,290 JEP 1,699

-64.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$12.1K JEP 8,942

-23.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$107 JEP 79.6

-16.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$74.7 JEP 55.4

-21.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$124 JEP 91.9

11.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$208 JEP 154

-50.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$1,873 JEP 1,390

-43.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,600 JEP 1,187

-58.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$3,448 JEP 2,559

-45.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$2,782 JEP 2,064

-63.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$11.7K JEP 8,700

-64.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$10.5K JEP 7,827

-84.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$4,642 JEP 3,445

-85.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.08

168.14%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Saint Helier: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,873 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 585% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $121 in Saint Helier. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $427 – 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 104%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $5,139 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $121 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $3,426 in Saint Helier. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Saint Helier at $3,426. 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.