Cost of Living Comparison Between St.James and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between St.James and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $924 per month in St.James vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,643 per month in St.James vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,361 per month in St.James vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

St.James is about 9% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both St.James and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – St.James 31% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.18 TTD 68.8

$5.95 COP 20.8K

71.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.1 TTD 589

$33.33 COP 116.3K

161.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.49 TTD 50.6

$7.23 COP 25.2K

3.60%

Cappuccino

$3.61 TTD 24.42

$1.63 COP 5,687

121.47%

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

$1.08 TTD 7.31

$1.09 COP 3,821

-0.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 TTD 5.32

$0.73 COP 2,548

8.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 TTD 12.21

$1.74 COP 6,065

4.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 TTD 20.74

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-4.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.76 TTD 18.68

$1.05 COP 3,662

162.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 TTD 18.97

$1.29 COP 4,515

117.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.68 TTD 18.12

$1.32 COP 4,617

103.03%

Eggs

$5.08 TTD 34.33

$2.27 COP 7,927

123.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.81 TTD 52.8

$4.35 COP 15.2K

79.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 TTD 71.1

$5.88 COP 20.5K

78.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.18 TTD 95.9

$8.61 COP 30.0K

64.69%

Apples (1kg)

$5.96 TTD 40.28

$2.25 COP 7,844

164.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 TTD 16.81

$1.07 COP 3,733

132.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 TTD 28.55

$1.52 COP 5,322

177.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.62 TTD 31.26

$1.42 COP 4,964

225.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 TTD 10.15

$1.17 COP 4,084

28.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 TTD 11.27

$1.17 COP 4,077

42.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 TTD 13.11

$0.89 COP 3,096

117.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 TTD 9.53

$0.90 COP 3,146

56.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.86 TTD 39.62

$2.25 COP 7,837

160.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.70 TTD 126

$11.04 COP 38.5K

69.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 TTD 14.68

$1.14 COP 3,977

90.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 TTD 19.18

$2.38 COP 8,301

19.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 TTD 7.13

$1.41 COP 4,912

-25.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 TTD 8.64

$1.90 COP 6,634

-32.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.03 TTD 102

$7.75 COP 27.0K

93.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 TTD 7.50

$1.01 COP 3,509

9.90%

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

$33.3K TTD 225.5K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

89.71%

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

$39.0K TTD 263.6K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

47.16%

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

$81.3 TTD 549

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-2.90%

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

$46.23 TTD 313

$9.45 COP 33.0K

389.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 TTD 410

$24.11 COP 84.1K

151.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$10.28 TTD 69.5

$4.10 COP 14.3K

150.73%

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

$329 TTD 2,224

$312 COP 1.1M

5.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,199 TTD 48.7K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

20.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 TTD 407

$58.0 COP 202.6K

3.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.56 TTD 261

$32.56 COP 113.6K

18.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$145 TTD 981

$99.6 COP 347.7K

45.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 TTD 876

$109 COP 378.8K

19.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

13.43

-59.94%

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

Last update for St.James: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87.0 in St.James versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $376 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

St.James vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 10%, 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 $1,386 per month in St.James and $1,525 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 $87.0 in St.James and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 98% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in St.James, where all-in costs run around $924, than in Medellin at $1,017. In St.James it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward St.James – 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 St.James. 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.