Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Spanish Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Spanish Town

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,050 in Spanish Town, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,982 in Spanish Town, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,913 in Spanish Town, rent included.

Medellin costs about 56% more than Spanish Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Spanish Town is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$16.10 JMD 2,528

-50.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$75.2 JMD 11.8K

-35.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$8.94 JMD 1,404

5.37%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$5.21 JMD 818

-43.57%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.20 JMD 188

55.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.73 JMD 114

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.24 JMD 352

43.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.07 JMD 483

85.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$4.03 JMD 632

-64.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$3.70 JMD 581

-35.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.59 JMD 250

6.92%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$3.64 JMD 571

-20.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$11.62 JMD 1,825

-13.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$6.31 JMD 990

58.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$10.16 JMD 1,596

39.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$5.94 JMD 934

-33.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$3.86 JMD 606

-59.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$7.36 JMD 1,156

-70.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$3.14 JMD 493

-26.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$3.29 JMD 517

-39.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.12 JMD 334

-28.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$3.00 JMD 472

-60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.50 JMD 236

-14.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$9.26 JMD 1,454

-58.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$11.53 JMD 1,812

21.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.84 JMD 445

-39.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$4.04 JMD 635

-32.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$1.22 JMD 191

7.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$3.19 JMD 500

-31.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$6.49 JMD 1,019

27.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.35 JMD 212

0.74%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$44.4K JMD 7.0M

-38.14%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$33.2K JMD 5.2M

10.01%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$172 JMD 27.1K

-2.04%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$29.62 JMD 4,652

-54.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$52.0 JMD 8,168

-45.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$13.19 JMD 2,072

-49.58%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$367 JMD 57.7K

118.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$8,158 JMD 1.3M

12.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$23.87 JMD 3,750

265.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$31.43 JMD 4,938

88.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$78.1 JMD 12.3K

77.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$103 JMD 16.2K

-0.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$630 JMD 99.0K

205.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$515 JMD 80.9K

103.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$1,148 JMD 180.3K

-42.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.45

15.77%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Spanish Town: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 75% higher in Spanish Town, 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 $75.0 in Spanish Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $383 – 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 Spanish Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 56%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,576 in Spanish Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $75.0 in Spanish Town. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 27% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Spanish Town, where all-in costs run around $1,050, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Spanish Town it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Spanish Town – 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 Spanish Town. 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.