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 $914 per month in St.James vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,615 per month in St.James vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,317 per month in St.James vs $2,143 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 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.37 TTD 69.7

$5.91 COP 18.6K

75.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.0 TTD 598

$32.96 COP 103.8K

170.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 TTD 50.5

$7.43 COP 23.4K

1.21%

Cappuccino

$3.64 TTD 24.41

$1.65 COP 5,207

120.61%

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

$1.05 TTD 7.02

$1.10 COP 3,468

-4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 TTD 5.26

$0.78 COP 2,458

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 TTD 12.13

$1.72 COP 5,412

5.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 TTD 21.30

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-0.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.69 TTD 18.06

$1.10 COP 3,474

144.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 TTD 18.85

$1.26 COP 3,962

123.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 TTD 17.59

$1.38 COP 4,349

89.86%

Eggs

$5.04 TTD 33.86

$2.18 COP 6,858

131.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.02 TTD 53.8

$4.49 COP 14.1K

78.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.23 TTD 68.7

$5.79 COP 18.2K

76.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 TTD 95.0

$8.97 COP 28.2K

57.64%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 TTD 39.87

$2.32 COP 7,308

156.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 TTD 17.59

$1.06 COP 3,352

147.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 TTD 29.76

$1.52 COP 4,774

191.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 TTD 32.26

$1.36 COP 4,270

252.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 TTD 9.64

$1.13 COP 3,552

27.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 TTD 11.57

$1.17 COP 3,689

47.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 TTD 12.82

$0.90 COP 2,838

112.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.37

$0.90 COP 2,823

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 TTD 39.31

$2.23 COP 7,034

162.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.42 TTD 130

$12.12 COP 38.2K

60.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 TTD 14.77

$1.19 COP 3,743

84.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 TTD 18.28

$2.48 COP 7,815

9.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 TTD 6.84

$1.42 COP 4,459

-28.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 TTD 8.63

$1.95 COP 6,141

-34.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.00 TTD 101

$7.89 COP 24.8K

90.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 TTD 7.32

$0.99 COP 3,118

10.10%

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

$34.0K TTD 228.3K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

93.18%

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

$38.6K TTD 259.4K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

44.14%

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

$79.3 TTD 532

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-4.52%

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

$46.15 TTD 310

$9.70 COP 30.5K

375.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.4 TTD 419

$23.52 COP 74.1K

165.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$10.11 TTD 67.9

$3.95 COP 12.4K

155.95%

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

$325 TTD 2,184

$316 COP 994.2K

3.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,329 TTD 49.2K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

22.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 TTD 395

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-1.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.85 TTD 254

$31.82 COP 100.2K

18.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 TTD 965

$102 COP 320.1K

41.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 TTD 867

$107 COP 338.3K

20.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 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: $378 vs $193 – 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 $1,370 per month in St.James and $1,504 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 95% 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 $914, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.