Cost of Living Comparison Between Spanish Town and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Spanish Town and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,050 per month in Spanish Town vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,982 per month in Spanish Town vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Spanish Town vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Spanish Town is about 36% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Spanish Town sits 24% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.10 JMD 2,528

$8.04 COP 24.8K

100.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.2 JMD 11.8K

$48.29 COP 148.6K

55.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 JMD 1,404

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-5.10%

Cappuccino

$5.21 JMD 818

$2.94 COP 9,040

77.21%

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

$1.20 JMD 188

$1.86 COP 5,735

-35.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 JMD 114

$1.46 COP 4,479

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 JMD 352

$3.21 COP 9,882

-30.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 JMD 483

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-46.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.03 JMD 632

$1.44 COP 4,428

179.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.70 JMD 581

$2.40 COP 7,389

54.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 JMD 250

$1.70 COP 5,228

-6.47%

Eggs

$3.64 JMD 571

$2.89 COP 8,896

25.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.62 JMD 1,825

$10.06 COP 30.9K

15.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.31 JMD 990

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-36.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.16 JMD 1,596

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-28.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 JMD 934

$3.98 COP 12.3K

49.25%

Banana (1kg)

$3.86 JMD 606

$1.58 COP 4,878

144.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.36 JMD 1,156

$2.15 COP 6,624

242.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 JMD 493

$2.30 COP 7,078

36.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 JMD 517

$2.00 COP 6,169

64.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 JMD 334

$1.51 COP 4,646

40.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 JMD 472

$1.20 COP 3,701

150.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 JMD 236

$1.28 COP 3,946

17.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.26 JMD 1,454

$3.84 COP 11.8K

141.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.53 JMD 1,812

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-17.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 JMD 445

$1.71 COP 5,256

66.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 JMD 635

$2.74 COP 8,440

47.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 JMD 191

$1.31 COP 4,016

-6.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 JMD 500

$2.17 COP 6,680

47.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.49 JMD 1,019

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-21.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 JMD 212

$1.36 COP 4,172

-0.74%

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

$44.4K JMD 7.0M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

61.66%

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

$33.2K JMD 5.2M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-9.10%

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

$172 JMD 27.1K

$169 COP 519.2K

2.08%

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

$29.62 JMD 4,652

$13.57 COP 41.8K

118.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.0 JMD 8,168

$28.32 COP 87.2K

83.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$13.19 JMD 2,072

$6.65 COP 20.5K

98.35%

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

$367 JMD 57.7K

$803 COP 2.5M

-54.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,158 JMD 1.3M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-11.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.87 JMD 3,750

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-72.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.43 JMD 4,938

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-47.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 JMD 12.3K

$139 COP 427.5K

-43.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 JMD 16.2K

$102 COP 314.0K

0.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$630 JMD 99.0K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-67.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 JMD 80.9K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-50.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,148 JMD 180.3K

$655 COP 2.0M

75.20%

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 Spanish Town: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 75% higher in Spanish Town, 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 $75.0 in Spanish Town versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $300 – 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

Spanish Town vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 56%, 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 $1,576 per month in Spanish Town and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Spanish Town and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 27% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Spanish Town, where all-in costs run around $1,050, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Spanish Town it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Spanish Town – 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 Spanish Town. 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.