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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $936 in St.James, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,628 in St.James, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,320 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 23% lower, St.James 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.5K

$10.25 TTD 69.6

-42.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

$89.4 TTD 607

-63.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

$7.46 TTD 50.7

-3.49%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

$3.67 TTD 24.95

-53.68%

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

$1.09 TTD 7.39

0.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

$0.82 TTD 5.58

-12.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

$1.83 TTD 12.41

-8.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

$3.04 TTD 20.62

1.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,837

$2.68 TTD 18.19

-60.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,531

$2.81 TTD 19.07

-55.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,060

$2.58 TTD 17.54

-46.12%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,229

$5.04 TTD 34.24

-55.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

$7.99 TTD 54.3

-45.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

$10.50 TTD 71.3

-44.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

$14.13 TTD 95.9

-37.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

$5.85 TTD 39.71

-61.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

$2.63 TTD 17.83

-58.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

$4.33 TTD 29.43

-64.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

$4.68 TTD 31.80

-70.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

$1.49 TTD 10.12

-24.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

$1.67 TTD 11.32

-32.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

$1.89 TTD 12.82

-55.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

$1.40 TTD 9.52

-35.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

$5.78 TTD 39.26

-59.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

$19.31 TTD 131

-42.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

$2.10 TTD 14.25

-43.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

$2.69 TTD 18.29

-11.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,223

$1.05 TTD 7.13

37.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

$1.24 TTD 8.41

54.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

$14.98 TTD 102

-46.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

$1.15 TTD 7.79

-18.26%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

$34.2K TTD 232.0K

-47.54%

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

$39.0K TTD 265.0K

-31.35%

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

$80.0 TTD 543

5.00%

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

$47.03 TTD 319

-79.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

$61.6 TTD 418

-60.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

$10.01 TTD 68.0

-60.84%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$321 TTD 2,181

-4.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

$7,320 TTD 49.7K

-19.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

$59.9 TTD 407

-3.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

$37.68 TTD 256

-15.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

$143 TTD 973

-30.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

$126 TTD 857

-15.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for St.James: April 26, 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: $190 vs $377 – 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,404 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 98% 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 $936, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.