Cost of Living Comparison Between Old Harbour and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Old Harbour and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Old Harbour vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,729 per month in Old Harbour vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,428 per month in Old Harbour vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Old Harbour is about 39% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Old Harbour sits 25% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.02 JMD 2,510

$8.02 COP 25.3K

99.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.7 JMD 12.0K

$47.87 COP 151.0K

60.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 JMD 1,374

$9.89 COP 31.2K

-11.32%

Cappuccino

$5.49 JMD 861

$3.13 COP 9,873

75.40%

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

$1.17 JMD 183

$1.91 COP 6,019

-38.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 JMD 109

$1.51 COP 4,763

-54.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 JMD 342

$3.12 COP 9,853

-30.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 JMD 510

$5.75 COP 18.1K

-43.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.15 JMD 651

$1.44 COP 4,558

188.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.77 JMD 590

$2.49 COP 7,843

51.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 JMD 249

$1.77 COP 5,595

-10.17%

Eggs

$3.63 JMD 569

$2.96 COP 9,336

22.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.69 JMD 1,832

$10.07 COP 31.8K

16.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.16 JMD 965

$10.12 COP 31.9K

-39.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.19 JMD 1,596

$14.30 COP 45.1K

-28.74%

Apples (1kg)

$6.26 JMD 980

$4.14 COP 13.0K

51.21%

Banana (1kg)

$4.03 JMD 631

$1.61 COP 5,073

150.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.36 JMD 1,154

$2.25 COP 7,083

227.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.99 JMD 468

$2.25 COP 7,104

32.89%

Potato (1kg)

$3.32 JMD 521

$2.04 COP 6,444

62.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 JMD 430

$1.54 COP 4,842

77.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 JMD 474

$1.17 COP 3,691

158.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 JMD 237

$1.31 COP 4,121

15.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.54 JMD 1,495

$3.90 COP 12.3K

144.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.52 JMD 1,806

$14.01 COP 44.2K

-17.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 JMD 453

$1.74 COP 5,498

66.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 JMD 644

$2.87 COP 9,053

43.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 JMD 185

$1.31 COP 4,129

-9.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.24 JMD 507

$2.19 COP 6,899

47.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.25 JMD 980

$8.71 COP 27.5K

-28.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 JMD 214

$1.37 COP 4,306

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

$44.0K JMD 6.9M

$27.8K COP 87.8M

58.12%

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

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-6.85%

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

$176 JMD 27.6K

$177 COP 559.3K

-0.52%

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

$30.18 JMD 4,730

$13.88 COP 43.8K

117.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 JMD 8,421

$29.72 COP 93.8K

80.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$13.56 JMD 2,125

$6.65 COP 21.0K

103.91%

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

$362 JMD 56.8K

$813 COP 2.6M

-55.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,258 JMD 1.3M

$9,187 COP 29.0M

-10.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.54 JMD 3,690

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-73.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.17 JMD 4,885

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-47.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.3 JMD 12.1K

$138 COP 435.9K

-44.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 JMD 16.0K

$102 COP 322.1K

0.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

10.94

-13.62%

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

Last update for Old Harbour: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77.0 in Old Harbour versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $388 vs $305 – 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

Old Harbour vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 63%, 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 $1,545 per month in Old Harbour and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77.0 in Old Harbour and $48.00 in Medellin. 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Old Harbour, where all-in costs run around $1,030, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Old Harbour it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Old Harbour – 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 Old Harbour. 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.