Cost of Living Comparison Between Portsmouth and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Portsmouth and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $941 per month in Portsmouth vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,633 per month in Portsmouth vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,326 per month in Portsmouth vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Portsmouth is about 45% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Portsmouth sits 32% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.52 EC$14.91

$8.03 COP 25.2K

-31.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 EC$148

$48.26 COP 151.7K

13.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 EC$18.32

$9.77 COP 30.7K

-30.60%

Cappuccino

$2.62 EC$7.07

$2.91 COP 9,149

-9.97%

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

$2.24 EC$6.06

$1.94 COP 6,110

15.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 EC$5.05

$1.52 COP 4,783

23.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 EC$7.05

$3.09 COP 9,721

-15.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 EC$10.14

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-34.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 EC$7.67

$1.36 COP 4,287

108.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 EC$5.83

$2.39 COP 7,505

-9.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 EC$5.41

$1.70 COP 5,346

17.65%

Eggs

$6.86 EC$18.52

$2.87 COP 9,021

139.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.63 EC$7.11

$9.94 COP 31.2K

-73.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.61 EC$15.15

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-47.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

Apples (1kg)

$7.43 EC$20.07

$4.09 COP 12.8K

81.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 EC$7.18

$1.57 COP 4,940

69.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.19 EC$11.30

$2.13 COP 6,682

96.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 EC$10.94

$2.21 COP 6,959

83.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 EC$7.90

$2.05 COP 6,435

42.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 EC$7.56

$1.50 COP 4,728

86.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 EC$4.92

$1.19 COP 3,740

52.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 EC$5.06

$1.16 COP 3,640

61.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$11.28 EC$30.46

$14.44 COP 45.4K

-21.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 EC$5.09

$1.58 COP 4,978

19.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 EC$7.09

$2.83 COP 8,889

-7.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 EC$2.08

$1.17 COP 3,672

-34.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 EC$10.17

$1.28 COP 4,038

194.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.66 EC$9.87

$2.09 COP 6,576

75.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

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

$176 COP 553.4K

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

$40.28 EC$109

$13.37 COP 42.0K

201.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.5 EC$177

$29.89 COP 94.0K

119.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.86 EC$99.5

$44.76 COP 140.7K

-17.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$10.94 EC$29.54

$6.20 COP 19.5K

76.45%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 EC$151

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-34.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.22 EC$65.4

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-58.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.5 EC$147

$136 COP 428.4K

-60.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.2 EC$181

$103 COP 324.1K

-34.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 EC$689

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-75.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 EC$611

$680 COP 2.1M

-66.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$670 EC$1,810

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-66.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 EC$1,700

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-46.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 EC$1,683

$665 COP 2.1M

-6.28%

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $255 in Portsmouth versus $1,060 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 7% 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 $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Portsmouth vs $303 in Medellin – so Portsmouth wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 82%, 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 $1,412 per month in Portsmouth and $2,574 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 4% 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 $48.00 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 $941, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.