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 $710 per month in Old Harbour vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,170 per month in Old Harbour vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,630 per month in Old Harbour vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Old Harbour is about 29% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Old Harbour and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Old Harbour 47% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.28 JMD 989

$5.91 COP 18.6K

6.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.89 JMD 4,864

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-6.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 JMD 807

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-30.96%

Cappuccino

$4.33 JMD 681

$1.65 COP 5,207

162.42%

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

$0.90 JMD 142

$1.10 COP 3,468

-18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 JMD 96.4

$0.78 COP 2,458

-21.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 JMD 383

$1.72 COP 5,412

41.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 JMD 499

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-0.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.33 JMD 681

$1.10 COP 3,474

293.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.53 JMD 555

$1.26 COP 3,962

180.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 JMD 256

$1.38 COP 4,349

17.39%

Eggs

$3.48 JMD 549

$2.18 COP 6,858

59.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.48 JMD 548

$4.49 COP 14.1K

-22.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 JMD 1,026

$5.79 COP 18.2K

12.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.53 JMD 1,186

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-16.05%

Apples (1kg)

$5.85 JMD 921

$2.32 COP 7,308

152.16%

Banana (1kg)

$3.05 JMD 480

$1.06 COP 3,352

187.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.30 JMD 677

$1.52 COP 4,774

182.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 JMD 333

$1.36 COP 4,270

55.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 JMD 318

$1.13 COP 3,552

78.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 JMD 306

$1.17 COP 3,689

65.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 JMD 472

$0.90 COP 2,838

232.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 JMD 228

$0.90 COP 2,823

61.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.85 JMD 1,394

$2.23 COP 7,034

296.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.56 JMD 1,820

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-4.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 JMD 435

$1.19 COP 3,743

131.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 JMD 489

$2.48 COP 7,815

25.00%

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)

$1.12 JMD 176

$1.42 COP 4,459

-21.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.28 JMD 516

$1.95 COP 6,141

68.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.20 JMD 977

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-21.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 JMD 171

$0.99 COP 3,118

10.10%

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

$42.9K JMD 6.7M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

143.45%

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

$33.1K JMD 5.2M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

23.70%

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

$49.51 JMD 7,797

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-40.36%

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

$21.97 JMD 3,460

$9.70 COP 30.5K

126.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.48 JMD 7,006

$23.52 COP 74.1K

89.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$13.23 JMD 2,083

$3.95 COP 12.4K

234.94%

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

$225 JMD 35.4K

$316 COP 994.2K

-28.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,493 JMD 392.7K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-58.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.25 JMD 4,135

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-56.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.31 JMD 3,986

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-20.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 JMD 11.1K

$102 COP 320.1K

-30.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.3 JMD 11.9K

$107 COP 338.3K

-29.93%

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 %)

9.15

13.43

-31.87%

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

Last update for Old Harbour: July 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Old Harbour versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $322 in Old Harbour vs $193 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 41%, 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 $1,065 per month in Old Harbour and $1,504 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 $31.00 in Old Harbour and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 67% 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 $710, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.