Cost of Living Comparison Between Port of Spain and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Port of Spain and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,573 per month in Port of Spain vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,743 per month in Port of Spain vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,913 per month in Port of Spain vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Port of Spain costs about 55% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Port of Spain sits 17% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Port of Spain
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.21 TTD 68.4
$5.99 COP 21.4K
70.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.4 TTD 599
$32.86 COP 117.4K
172.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.31 TTD 48.97
$7.09 COP 25.3K
3.10%
Cappuccino
$3.66 TTD 24.54
$1.71 COP 6,115
114.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05 TTD 7.01
$1.10 COP 3,924
-4.55%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 TTD 5.50
$0.78 COP 2,781
5.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.81 TTD 12.13
$1.68 COP 5,997
7.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05 TTD 20.46
$3.07 COP 11.0K
-0.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Port of Spain
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.63 TTD 17.61
$1.09 COP 3,906
141.28%
White Bread (500g)
$2.71 TTD 18.16
$1.26 COP 4,508
115.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.56 TTD 17.16
$1.38 COP 4,922
85.51%
Eggs
$5.03 TTD 33.73
$2.19 COP 7,827
129.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.98 TTD 53.5
$4.40 COP 15.7K
81.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.31 TTD 69.1
$5.63 COP 20.1K
83.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.21 TTD 95.2
$8.89 COP 31.8K
59.84%
Apples (1kg)
$5.73 TTD 38.38
$2.34 COP 8,349
144.87%
Banana (1kg)
$2.51 TTD 16.79
$1.06 COP 3,777
136.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.34 TTD 29.05
$1.50 COP 5,374
189.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.82 TTD 32.28
$1.38 COP 4,924
249.28%
Potato (1kg)
$1.45 TTD 9.71
$1.15 COP 4,111
26.09%
Onion (1kg)
$1.67 TTD 11.18
$1.16 COP 4,155
43.97%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.96 TTD 13.15
$0.89 COP 3,182
120.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.47 TTD 9.84
$0.84 COP 2,997
75.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.77 TTD 38.67
$2.28 COP 8,145
153.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.09 TTD 121
$10.64 COP 38.0K
70.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.17 TTD 14.55
$1.20 COP 4,284
80.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 TTD 19.07
$2.47 COP 8,824
15.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Port of Spain
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.06 TTD 7.10
$0.86 COP 3,056
23.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$95.6 TTD 641
$41.40 COP 147.9K
130.99%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.05 TTD 7.01
$1.47 COP 5,264
-28.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.28 TTD 8.56
$1.96 COP 7,009
-34.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.91 TTD 99.9
$7.74 COP 27.6K
92.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.09 TTD 7.31
$0.95 COP 3,409
14.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K TTD 228.1K
$18.1K COP 64.7M
87.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.0K TTD 254.6K
$26.5K COP 94.6M
43.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Port of Spain
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.6 TTD 540
$82.3 COP 293.7K
-1.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$45.86 TTD 307
$9.50 COP 33.9K
382.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$61.2 TTD 410
$24.23 COP 86.5K
152.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Port of Spain
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.7 TTD 360
$25.89 COP 92.4K
107.45%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.24 TTD 88.7
$19.00 COP 67.9K
-30.32%
Cinema Ticket
$10.05 TTD 67.3
$3.93 COP 14.0K
155.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Port of Spain
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$329 TTD 2,203
$309 COP 1.1M
6.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,096 TTD 47.5K
$5,965 COP 21.3M
18.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Port of Spain
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5 TTD 398
$58.7 COP 209.5K
1.36%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.55 TTD 258
$32.35 COP 115.5K
19.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$144 TTD 967
$103 COP 366.4K
40.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$127 TTD 849
$108 COP 387.2K
16.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Port of Spain
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$759 TTD 5,086
$476 COP 1.7M
59.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$479 TTD 3,208
$379 COP 1.4M
26.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,841 TTD 12.3K
$838 COP 3.0M
119.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,273 TTD 8,526
$724 COP 2.6M
75.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,382 TTD 29.4K
$2,791 COP 10.0M
57.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,724 TTD 11.5K
$1,211 COP 4.3M
42.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Port of Spain
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$733 TTD 4,908
$512 COP 1.8M
43.13%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.38
13.43
-59.94%

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

Last update for Port of Spain: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $759 in Port of Spain versus $476 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 43% higher in Port of Spain, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Port of Spain versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $373 vs $188 – 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
Port of Spain vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Port of Spain?
Yes – Port of Spain is pricier by about 55%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,360 per month in Port of Spain and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Port of Spain or Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Port of Spain and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Port of Spain vs Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,573 in Port of Spain and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Port of Spain or Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Port of Spain at $1,573. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port of Spain it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Port of Spain or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Port of Spain makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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