Cost of Living Comparison Between Dar'a and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Dar'a and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $207 in Dar'a versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $394 in Dar'a versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $581 in Dar'a versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Dar'a costs roughly 80% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dar'a 85% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.96 SYP 327

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-50.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.28 SYP 1,689

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-54.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

Cappuccino

$1.01 SYP 112

$1.63 COP 5,687

-38.04%

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

$0.72 SYP 79.6

$1.09 COP 3,821

-33.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 SYP 57.4

$0.73 COP 2,548

-28.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.49 SYP 53.9

$1.05 COP 3,662

-53.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.29 SYP 31.71

$1.29 COP 4,515

-77.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 SYP 134

$1.32 COP 4,617

-8.33%

Eggs

$1.22 SYP 135

$2.27 COP 7,927

-46.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.94 SYP 435

$4.35 COP 15.2K

-9.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 SYP 344

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-46.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.41 SYP 709

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-25.55%

Apples (1kg)

$0.31 SYP 34.53

$2.25 COP 7,844

-86.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 SYP 135

$1.07 COP 3,733

14.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 SYP 63.6

$1.52 COP 5,322

-61.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.29 SYP 31.62

$1.42 COP 4,964

-79.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 SYP 42.44

$1.17 COP 4,084

-67.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.26 SYP 28.82

$1.17 COP 4,077

-77.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.26 SYP 28.59

$0.89 COP 3,096

-70.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 SYP 52.5

$0.90 COP 3,146

-46.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 SYP 237

$2.25 COP 7,837

-4.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 SYP 27.33

$0.84 COP 2,916

-70.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 SYP 162

$1.90 COP 6,634

-23.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 SYP 454

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-47.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 SYP 189

$1.01 COP 3,509

69.31%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$3.58 SYP 396

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-85.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.83 SYP 644

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-69.54%

Cinema Ticket

$3.04 SYP 336

$4.10 COP 14.3K

-25.85%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.86 SYP 1,090

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-83.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.97 SYP 2,759

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-23.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$16.86 SYP 1,863

$109 COP 378.8K

-84.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$49.80 SYP 5,503

$482 COP 1.7M

-89.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$35.08 SYP 3,877

$379 COP 1.3M

-90.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 SYP 21.9K

$837 COP 2.9M

-76.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$125 SYP 13.8K

$723 COP 2.5M

-82.69%

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 %)

13.43

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

Last update for Dar'a: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $49.80 in Dar'a and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $15.00 in Dar'a vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $85.0 vs $190 per month, with Dar'a cheaper across the board.

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

Dar'a vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dar'a wins on cost – living expenses run 392% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Dar'a the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $310 in Dar'a and $1,525 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $49.80 in Dar'a versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $207 per month in Dar'a versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 392% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 123% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $207 in Dar'a versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Dar'a but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Dar'a the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Dar'a delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $207 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Dar'a hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Dar'a gentler on the wallet – expenses run 392% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.