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 $936 per month in St.James vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,628 per month in St.James vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,320 per month in St.James vs $2,120 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 30% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.25 TTD 69.6

$5.92 COP 21.5K

73.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.4 TTD 607

$32.75 COP 119.1K

172.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 TTD 50.7

$7.20 COP 26.2K

3.61%

Cappuccino

$3.67 TTD 24.95

$1.70 COP 6,186

115.88%

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

$1.09 TTD 7.39

$1.10 COP 3,996

-0.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 TTD 5.58

$0.72 COP 2,625

13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 TTD 12.41

$1.67 COP 6,067

9.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 TTD 20.62

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-1.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.68 TTD 18.19

$1.06 COP 3,837

152.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 TTD 19.07

$1.25 COP 4,531

124.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 TTD 17.54

$1.39 COP 5,060

85.61%

Eggs

$5.04 TTD 34.24

$2.26 COP 8,229

123.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 TTD 54.3

$4.33 COP 15.8K

84.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.50 TTD 71.3

$5.84 COP 21.2K

79.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.13 TTD 95.9

$8.83 COP 32.1K

60.02%

Apples (1kg)

$5.85 TTD 39.71

$2.24 COP 8,159

161.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 TTD 17.83

$1.08 COP 3,911

143.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 TTD 29.43

$1.53 COP 5,563

183.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 TTD 31.80

$1.37 COP 4,987

241.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 TTD 10.12

$1.13 COP 4,109

31.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 TTD 11.32

$1.12 COP 4,067

49.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 TTD 12.82

$0.85 COP 3,080

122.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.52

$0.91 COP 3,305

53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.78 TTD 39.26

$2.33 COP 8,477

148.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.31 TTD 131

$11.13 COP 40.5K

73.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 TTD 14.25

$1.19 COP 4,342

76.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 TTD 18.29

$2.37 COP 8,617

13.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 TTD 7.13

$1.44 COP 5,223

-27.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 TTD 8.41

$1.91 COP 6,952

-35.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.98 TTD 102

$8.02 COP 29.2K

86.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 TTD 7.79

$0.94 COP 3,410

22.34%

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

$34.2K TTD 232.0K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

90.61%

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

$39.0K TTD 265.0K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

45.67%

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

$80.0 TTD 543

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-4.76%

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

$47.03 TTD 319

$9.60 COP 34.9K

389.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 TTD 418

$24.16 COP 87.9K

154.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$10.01 TTD 68.0

$3.92 COP 14.2K

155.36%

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

$321 TTD 2,181

$306 COP 1.1M

4.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,320 TTD 49.7K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

23.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 TTD 407

$57.9 COP 210.6K

3.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.68 TTD 256

$31.82 COP 115.7K

18.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 TTD 973

$99.9 COP 363.3K

43.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 TTD 857

$107 COP 389.7K

17.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in St.James versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $377 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 $1,404 per month in St.James and $1,550 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 $89.0 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 $936, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.