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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,086 per month in Portmore vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,829 per month in Portmore vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,572 per month in Portmore vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Portmore costs about 7% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Portmore and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Portmore 19% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.79 JMD 754

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-19.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.6 JMD 9,843

$33.33 COP 116.3K

87.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.99 JMD 1,413

$7.23 COP 25.2K

24.34%

Cappuccino

$4.39 JMD 691

$1.63 COP 5,687

169.33%

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

$0.63 JMD 99.8

$1.09 COP 3,821

-42.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 JMD 85.8

$0.73 COP 2,548

-24.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 JMD 303

$1.74 COP 6,065

10.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 JMD 348

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-31.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.06 JMD 481

$1.05 COP 3,662

191.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 JMD 566

$1.29 COP 4,515

179.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 JMD 159

$1.32 COP 4,617

-23.48%

Eggs

$3.50 JMD 550

$2.27 COP 7,927

54.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 JMD 1,748

$4.35 COP 15.2K

155.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 JMD 984

$5.88 COP 20.5K

6.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.48 JMD 1,177

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-13.12%

Apples (1kg)

$5.86 JMD 922

$2.25 COP 7,844

160.44%

Banana (1kg)

$3.01 JMD 473

$1.07 COP 3,733

181.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 JMD 461

$1.52 COP 5,322

92.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 JMD 466

$1.42 COP 4,964

108.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 JMD 321

$1.17 COP 4,084

74.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 JMD 305

$1.17 COP 4,077

65.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 JMD 250

$0.89 COP 3,096

78.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 JMD 195

$0.90 COP 3,146

37.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.96 JMD 1,409

$2.25 COP 7,837

298.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.53 JMD 1,814

$11.04 COP 38.5K

4.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 JMD 447

$1.14 COP 3,977

149.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 JMD 334

$2.38 COP 8,301

-10.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 JMD 240

$0.84 COP 2,916

80.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.3 JMD 9,958

$41.95 COP 146.4K

50.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 JMD 145

$1.41 COP 4,912

-34.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 JMD 502

$1.90 COP 6,634

67.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.31 JMD 993

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-18.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 JMD 171

$1.01 COP 3,509

6.93%

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

$42.6K JMD 6.7M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

142.29%

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

$33.1K JMD 5.2M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

24.89%

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

$155 JMD 24.4K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

85.31%

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

$21.91 JMD 3,446

$9.45 COP 33.0K

131.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.2 JMD 7,897

$24.11 COP 84.1K

108.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$13.38 JMD 2,104

$4.10 COP 14.3K

226.34%

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

$226 JMD 35.5K

$312 COP 1.1M

-27.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,515 JMD 395.6K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-58.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.22 JMD 4,123

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-54.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.01 JMD 4,090

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-20.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 JMD 11.4K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-27.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 JMD 11.9K

$109 COP 378.8K

-30.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 JMD 49.9K

$482 COP 1.7M

-34.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 JMD 34.3K

$379 COP 1.3M

-42.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$663 JMD 104.2K

$837 COP 2.9M

-20.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 JMD 93.9K

$723 COP 2.5M

-17.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,779 JMD 1.2M

$2,840 COP 9.9M

173.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,891 JMD 926.4K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

381.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,294 JMD 203.5K

$541 COP 1.9M

139.28%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $317 in Portmore versus $482 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 139% 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: $318 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 7%, 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 $1,629 per month in Portmore and $1,525 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 $1,086 in Portmore and $1,017 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 $1,017, than in Portmore at $1,086. 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.