Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Portsmouth and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Portsmouth: $927 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Portsmouth

🇩🇲 Dominica

$927

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,625

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Portsmouth and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Portsmouth and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $927 per month in Portsmouth vs $1,625 in Medellin, rent included.

Portsmouth $927
Medellin $1,625

A couple spends around $1,638 per month in Portsmouth vs $2,412 in Medellin, rent included.

Portsmouth $1,638
Medellin $2,412

A family of three spends $2,350 per month in Portsmouth vs $3,199 in Medellin, rent included.

Portsmouth $2,350
Medellin $3,199

Portsmouth is about 43% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Portsmouth sits 32% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.63 EC$15.20

$8.30 COP 26.3K

-32.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.0 EC$148

$46.91 COP 148.7K

17.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.72 EC$18.15

$9.24 COP 29.3K

-27.27%

Cappuccino

$2.61 EC$7.06

$3.05 COP 9,676

-14.43%

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

$2.21 EC$5.95

$1.80 COP 5,707

22.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 EC$5.13

$1.38 COP 4,382

37.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 EC$6.94

$3.24 COP 10.3K

-20.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 EC$9.78

$5.56 COP 17.6K

-34.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.85 EC$7.69

$1.50 COP 4,760

90.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 EC$6.14

$2.37 COP 7,508

-4.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 EC$5.58

$1.70 COP 5,377

21.76%

Eggs

$6.80 EC$18.35

$2.96 COP 9,379

129.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.65 EC$7.16

$10.22 COP 32.4K

-74.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.56 EC$15.02

$9.74 COP 30.9K

-42.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.90 COP 44.1K

Apples (1kg)

$7.45 EC$20.11

$4.13 COP 13.1K

80.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 EC$6.88

$1.53 COP 4,839

66.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.10 EC$11.06

$2.22 COP 7,052

84.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 EC$11.08

$2.27 COP 7,194

80.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 EC$7.80

$1.99 COP 6,311

45.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 EC$7.55

$1.67 COP 5,285

67.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 EC$5.09

$1.18 COP 3,742

59.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 EC$4.91

$1.24 COP 3,919

46.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 COP 12.3K

Wine (Bottle)

$11.00 EC$29.71

$13.78 COP 43.7K

-20.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 EC$5.14

$1.66 COP 5,256

14.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 EC$7.04

$2.40 COP 7,615

8.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 EC$2.10

$1.24 COP 3,944

-37.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.2 COP 248.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 EC$10.07

$1.28 COP 4,044

191.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.79 EC$10.24

$2.15 COP 6,803

76.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.37 COP 26.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,288

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

$34.8K COP 110.2M

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

$34.7K COP 110.0M

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

$167 COP 528.4K

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

$40.53 EC$109

$13.62 COP 43.2K

197.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.4 EC$174

$29.12 COP 92.3K

121.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.08 EC$100

$45.09 COP 143.0K

-17.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.18 COP 54.5K

Cinema Ticket

$11.30 EC$30.51

$6.97 COP 22.1K

62.12%

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

$790 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,041 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 EC$151

$87.8 COP 278.4K

-36.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.74 EC$64.1

$58.2 COP 184.4K

-59.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.3 EC$152

$139 COP 440.7K

-59.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.4 EC$182

$98.9 COP 313.5K

-31.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 EC$697

$1,028 COP 3.3M

-74.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 EC$592

$620 COP 2.0M

-64.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 EC$1,788

$1,881 COP 6.0M

-64.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 EC$1,669

$1,008 COP 3.2M

-38.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,988 COP 12.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,702 COP 5.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$637 EC$1,719

$663 COP 2.1M

-4.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Portsmouth: October 17, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Portsmouth

–

Medellin

$619 38.1%

Groceries & Markets

Portsmouth

–

Medellin

$298 18.3%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Portsmouth

–

Medellin

$209 12.9%

Clothing & Footwear

Portsmouth

–

Medellin

$173 10.6%

Eating Out

Portsmouth

–

Medellin

$171 10.5%

Getting Around

Portsmouth

–

Medellin

$95 5.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Portsmouth

–

Medellin

$59 3.6%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $258 in Portsmouth versus $1,028 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 4% higher in Medellin, 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 $55.0 in Portsmouth versus $47.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Portsmouth vs $298 in Medellin – so Portsmouth wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇩🇲 Portsmouth

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

06:53 6:53 AM

05:53 5:53 AM

1 h behind Portsmouth

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,633

2,486,723

💱 Currency

East Caribbean Dollar XCD $

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

1 XCD = 0.37 USD

1 XCD = 0.329 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to XCD – East Caribbean Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🌐 East Caribbean Dollar ($)

East Caribbean Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 2.7 XCD (1 XCD = 0.37 USD). 1 EUR = 3.04 XCD (1 XCD = 0.329 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

USD to XCD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Portsmouth Medellin 1,860 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Portsmouth
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Portsmouth vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 75%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,390 per month in Portsmouth and $2,437 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Portsmouth, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Portsmouth and $47.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Portsmouth, where all-in costs run around $927, than in Medellin at $1,625. In Portsmouth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Portsmouth – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Portsmouth. 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.