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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,243 per month in Portmore vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,094 per month in Portmore vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,944 per month in Portmore vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Portmore is about 26% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Portmore sits 9% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.22 JMD 1,602

$8.02 COP 25.3K

27.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.2 JMD 9,744

$47.87 COP 151.0K

29.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.98 JMD 1,408

$9.89 COP 31.2K

-9.20%

Cappuccino

$5.19 JMD 814

$3.13 COP 9,873

65.81%

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

$0.92 JMD 144

$1.91 COP 6,019

-51.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 JMD 102

$1.51 COP 4,763

-56.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 JMD 341

$3.12 COP 9,853

-30.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 JMD 341

$5.75 COP 18.1K

-62.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.10 JMD 486

$1.44 COP 4,558

115.28%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 JMD 556

$2.49 COP 7,843

42.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 JMD 156

$1.77 COP 5,595

-43.50%

Eggs

$3.48 JMD 545

$2.96 COP 9,336

17.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 JMD 1,780

$10.07 COP 31.8K

12.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 JMD 1,012

$10.12 COP 31.9K

-36.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.35 JMD 1,465

$14.30 COP 45.1K

-34.62%

Apples (1kg)

$6.05 JMD 948

$4.14 COP 13.0K

46.14%

Banana (1kg)

$3.94 JMD 618

$1.61 COP 5,073

144.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 JMD 460

$2.25 COP 7,083

30.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 JMD 470

$2.25 COP 7,104

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.18 JMD 498

$2.04 COP 6,444

55.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 JMD 407

$1.54 COP 4,842

68.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 JMD 247

$1.17 COP 3,691

34.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 JMD 195

$1.31 COP 4,121

-5.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.26 JMD 1,451

$3.90 COP 12.3K

137.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.47 JMD 1,797

$14.01 COP 44.2K

-18.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 JMD 459

$1.74 COP 5,498

68.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 JMD 338

$2.87 COP 9,053

-24.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 JMD 368

$1.22 COP 3,834

92.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.3 JMD 8,042

$80.5 COP 253.9K

-36.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 JMD 156

$1.31 COP 4,129

-24.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.23 JMD 506

$2.19 COP 6,899

47.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.21 JMD 973

$8.71 COP 27.5K

-28.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 JMD 199

$1.37 COP 4,306

-7.30%

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

$44.9K JMD 7.0M

$27.8K COP 87.8M

61.46%

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

$33.4K JMD 5.2M

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-6.54%

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

$161 JMD 25.3K

$177 COP 559.3K

-9.04%

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

$29.50 JMD 4,623

$13.88 COP 43.8K

112.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 JMD 8,401

$29.72 COP 93.8K

80.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.6 JMD 9,343

$44.88 COP 141.6K

32.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$13.54 JMD 2,122

$6.65 COP 21.0K

103.61%

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

$284 JMD 44.6K

$813 COP 2.6M

-65.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,108 JMD 487.1K

$9,187 COP 29.0M

-66.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.31 JMD 3,654

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-73.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.31 JMD 5,064

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-45.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 JMD 12.2K

$138 COP 435.9K

-43.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.4 JMD 14.8K

$102 COP 322.1K

-7.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$313 JMD 49.1K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-70.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 JMD 34.3K

$663 COP 2.1M

-67.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$659 JMD 103.2K

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-65.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$607 JMD 95.1K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-40.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,565 JMD 1.2M

$4,183 COP 13.2M

80.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,760 JMD 902.8K

$1,675 COP 5.3M

243.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,294 JMD 202.8K

$678 COP 2.1M

90.98%

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 Portmore: September 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $313 in Portmore versus $1,062 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 91% higher in Portmore, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Portmore versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $337 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

Portmore vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 35%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,864 per month in Portmore and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Portmore, 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 $48.00 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 $1,243 in Portmore and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Portmore, where all-in costs run around $1,243, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Portmore it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Portmore – 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 Portmore. 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.