Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and St.James Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and St.James

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $914 in St.James, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,615 in St.James, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,317 in St.James, rent included.

Medellin costs about 10% more than St.James, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and St.James are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, St.James 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$10.37 TTD 69.7

-43.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$89.0 TTD 598

-62.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.52 TTD 50.5

-1.20%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$3.64 TTD 24.41

-54.67%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.05 TTD 7.02

4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.78 TTD 5.26

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.81 TTD 12.13

-4.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.17 TTD 21.30

0.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.69 TTD 18.06

-59.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$2.81 TTD 18.85

-55.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.62 TTD 17.59

-47.33%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$5.04 TTD 33.86

-56.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.02 TTD 53.8

-44.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$10.23 TTD 68.7

-43.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$14.14 TTD 95.0

-36.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$5.94 TTD 39.87

-60.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.62 TTD 17.59

-59.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$4.43 TTD 29.76

-65.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$4.80 TTD 32.26

-71.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.44 TTD 9.64

-21.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.72 TTD 11.57

-31.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.91 TTD 12.82

-52.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.40 TTD 9.37

-35.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$5.85 TTD 39.31

-61.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$19.42 TTD 130

-37.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.20 TTD 14.77

-45.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.72 TTD 18.28

-8.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.02 TTD 6.84

39.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.28 TTD 8.63

52.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$15.00 TTD 101

-47.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.09 TTD 7.32

-9.17%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$34.0K TTD 228.3K

-48.23%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$38.6K TTD 259.4K

-30.62%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$79.3 TTD 532

4.73%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$46.15 TTD 310

-78.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$62.4 TTD 419

-62.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$10.11 TTD 67.9

-60.93%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$325 TTD 2,184

-2.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$7,329 TTD 49.2K

-18.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$58.9 TTD 395

1.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$37.85 TTD 254

-15.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$144 TTD 965

-29.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$129 TTD 867

-16.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.38

149.63%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for St.James: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $89.0 in St.James. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $378 – 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 St.James: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 10%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,370 in St.James. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $89.0 in St.James. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 95% 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 St.James, where all-in costs run around $914, than in Medellin at $1,003. In St.James it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward St.James – 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 St.James. 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.