Cost of Living Comparison Between Portmore and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Portmore and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,102 per month in Portmore vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,849 per month in Portmore vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,595 per month in Portmore vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

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

Both Portmore and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Portmore 17% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.80 JMD 755

$5.91 COP 19.1K

-18.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.4 JMD 9,810

$32.96 COP 106.5K

89.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 JMD 1,365

$7.43 COP 24.0K

16.82%

Cappuccino

$4.41 JMD 693

$1.65 COP 5,343

167.27%

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

$0.63 JMD 98.7

$1.10 COP 3,559

-42.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 JMD 78.9

$0.78 COP 2,523

-35.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 JMD 289

$1.72 COP 5,553

6.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 JMD 354

$3.18 COP 10.3K

-29.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.10 JMD 487

$1.10 COP 3,565

181.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 JMD 558

$1.26 COP 4,066

181.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 JMD 160

$1.38 COP 4,463

-26.09%

Eggs

$3.58 JMD 563

$2.18 COP 7,038

64.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.86 JMD 1,707

$4.49 COP 14.5K

141.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 JMD 973

$5.79 COP 18.7K

6.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.48 JMD 1,175

$8.97 COP 29.0K

-16.61%

Apples (1kg)

$5.91 JMD 929

$2.32 COP 7,499

154.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 JMD 470

$1.06 COP 3,440

182.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 JMD 453

$1.52 COP 4,899

89.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.04 JMD 478

$1.36 COP 4,381

123.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 JMD 330

$1.13 COP 3,645

85.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 JMD 302

$1.17 COP 3,785

64.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 JMD 239

$0.90 COP 2,912

68.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 JMD 200

$0.90 COP 2,897

41.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.66 JMD 1,361

$2.23 COP 7,218

288.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.16 JMD 1,754

$12.12 COP 39.2K

-7.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 JMD 440

$1.19 COP 3,841

135.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 JMD 335

$2.48 COP 8,020

-14.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 JMD 250

$0.85 COP 2,758

87.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.4 JMD 9,968

$41.62 COP 134.5K

52.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 JMD 146

$1.42 COP 4,575

-34.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 JMD 507

$1.95 COP 6,302

65.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 JMD 1,011

$7.89 COP 25.5K

-18.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 JMD 171

$0.99 COP 3,200

10.10%

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

$42.4K JMD 6.7M

$17.6K COP 56.9M

140.66%

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

$33.6K JMD 5.3M

$26.8K COP 86.6M

25.34%

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

$156 JMD 24.6K

$83.0 COP 268.2K

88.47%

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

$21.70 JMD 3,411

$9.70 COP 31.3K

123.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 JMD 8,082

$23.52 COP 76.0K

118.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 61.7K

Cinema Ticket

$13.24 JMD 2,081

$3.95 COP 12.8K

235.19%

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

$227 JMD 35.6K

$316 COP 1.0M

-28.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,450 JMD 385.1K

$5,975 COP 19.3M

-58.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.67 JMD 4,035

$60.0 COP 193.8K

-57.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.00 JMD 4,087

$31.82 COP 102.8K

-18.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.3 JMD 11.2K

$102 COP 328.5K

-29.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.3 JMD 12.2K

$107 COP 347.2K

-28.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 JMD 48.8K

$475 COP 1.5M

-34.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$223 JMD 35.0K

$374 COP 1.2M

-40.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 JMD 103.9K

$849 COP 2.7M

-22.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$583 JMD 91.7K

$719 COP 2.3M

-18.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,530 JMD 1.2M

$3,265 COP 10.5M

130.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,860 JMD 921.2K

$1,441 COP 4.7M

306.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,312 JMD 206.3K

$624 COP 2.0M

110.18%

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 Portmore: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $310 in Portmore versus $475 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 110% higher in Portmore, 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 $62.0 in Portmore versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $317 vs $193 – 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

Portmore vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Portmore 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 $1,653 per month in Portmore and $1,504 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Portmore and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,102 in Portmore and $1,003 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Portmore at $1,102. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Portmore it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Portmore makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.