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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,112 per month in Portmore vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,853 per month in Portmore vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,594 per month in Portmore vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Portmore costs about 8% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Portmore and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Portmore 17% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.82 JMD 757

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-18.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 JMD 9,885

$32.75 COP 118.2K

92.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.78 JMD 1,380

$7.20 COP 26.0K

21.94%

Cappuccino

$4.23 JMD 665

$1.70 COP 6,140

148.82%

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

$0.69 JMD 108

$1.10 COP 3,966

-37.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 JMD 78.8

$0.72 COP 2,605

-30.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 JMD 291

$1.67 COP 6,022

10.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 JMD 350

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-28.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.05 JMD 479

$1.06 COP 3,809

187.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 JMD 571

$1.25 COP 4,497

190.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 JMD 155

$1.39 COP 5,022

-28.78%

Eggs

$3.53 JMD 554

$2.26 COP 8,168

56.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.18 JMD 1,757

$4.33 COP 15.6K

158.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 JMD 1,011

$5.84 COP 21.1K

10.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 JMD 1,178

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-15.06%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 JMD 941

$2.24 COP 8,099

167.41%

Banana (1kg)

$3.11 JMD 488

$1.08 COP 3,882

187.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 JMD 464

$1.53 COP 5,522

92.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 JMD 481

$1.37 COP 4,950

123.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 JMD 315

$1.13 COP 4,078

77.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 JMD 313

$1.12 COP 4,036

77.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 JMD 250

$0.85 COP 3,057

87.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 JMD 201

$0.91 COP 3,281

40.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.71 JMD 1,368

$2.33 COP 8,414

273.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.49 JMD 1,804

$11.13 COP 40.2K

3.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 JMD 446

$1.19 COP 4,309

138.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 JMD 354

$2.37 COP 8,553

-4.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 JMD 252

$0.79 COP 2,838

102.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.9 JMD 9,884

$41.13 COP 148.5K

53.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 JMD 143

$1.44 COP 5,184

-36.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 JMD 510

$1.91 COP 6,901

70.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.29 JMD 988

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-21.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 JMD 170

$0.94 COP 3,385

14.89%

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

$42.7K JMD 6.7M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

138.36%

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

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

26.08%

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

$156 JMD 24.5K

$84.0 COP 303.1K

85.47%

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

$22.40 JMD 3,518

$9.60 COP 34.7K

133.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 JMD 8,129

$24.16 COP 87.2K

114.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$13.17 JMD 2,068

$3.92 COP 14.1K

235.97%

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

$224 JMD 35.2K

$306 COP 1.1M

-26.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,479 JMD 389.4K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-58.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.93 JMD 4,073

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-55.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.32 JMD 3,977

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-20.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 JMD 11.0K

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-30.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.9 JMD 11.8K

$107 COP 386.8K

-30.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$314 JMD 49.4K

$487 COP 1.8M

-35.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 JMD 33.8K

$368 COP 1.3M

-41.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 JMD 101.5K

$826 COP 3.0M

-21.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$598 JMD 93.8K

$716 COP 2.6M

-16.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,724 JMD 1.2M

$2,925 COP 10.6M

164.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,745 JMD 902.3K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

308.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,267 JMD 199.0K

$546 COP 2.0M

132.27%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $314 in Portmore versus $487 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 132% 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 $63.0 in Portmore versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $322 vs $190 – 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 8%, 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 $1,668 per month in Portmore and $1,550 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 $63.0 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 $1,112 in Portmore and $1,034 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 $1,034, than in Portmore at $1,112. 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.