Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between David and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in David: $882 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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David

🇵🇦 Panama

$882

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,614

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in David and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in David and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $882 per month in David vs $1,614 in Medellin, rent included.

David $882
Medellin $1,614

A couple spends around $946 per month in David vs $2,402 in Medellin, rent included.

David $946
Medellin $2,402

A family of three spends $1,011 per month in David vs $3,190 in Medellin, rent included.

David $1,011
Medellin $3,190

David is about 45% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

David sits 35% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.52 PAB 5.52

$7.93 COP 25.2K

-30.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.03 PAB 37.03

$46.13 COP 146.3K

-19.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 PAB 7.27

$9.50 COP 30.1K

-23.47%

Cappuccino

$3.13 PAB 3.13

$3.11 COP 9,866

0.64%

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

$1.47 PAB 1.47

$1.83 COP 5,800

-19.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 PAB 1.52

$1.38 COP 4,360

10.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 PAB 1.99

$3.05 COP 9,672

-34.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 PAB 2.72

$5.50 COP 17.4K

-50.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 PAB 1.73

$1.45 COP 4,600

19.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 PAB 2.26

$2.36 COP 7,496

-4.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.46 PAB 2.46

$1.68 COP 5,328

46.43%

Eggs

$2.41 PAB 2.41

$2.86 COP 9,077

-15.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 COP 30.2K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 COP 44.5K

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 COP 12.9K

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,742

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 COP 6,891

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 COP 7,310

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 COP 6,113

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 COP 5,196

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 PAB 1.99

$1.13 COP 3,571

76.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,954

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 COP 12.6K

Wine (Bottle)

$10.18 PAB 10.18

$13.35 COP 42.3K

-23.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 COP 5,384

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 7,525

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 PAB 0.76

$1.21 COP 3,827

-37.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.5 COP 242.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 PAB 2.96

$1.32 COP 4,179

124.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 PAB 2.04

$2.14 COP 6,774

-4.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.47 COP 26.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 PAB 1.07

$1.30 COP 4,114

-17.69%

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

$25.0K PAB 25.0K

$28.0K COP 88.7M

-10.82%

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

$30.6K PAB 30.6K

$35.4K COP 112.3M

-13.73%

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

$184 PAB 184

$172 COP 545.6K

6.73%

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

$28.48 PAB 28.48

$13.37 COP 42.4K

113.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.40 PAB 49.40

$28.73 COP 91.1K

71.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.21 PAB 31.21

$45.24 COP 143.5K

-31.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.04 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 COP 19.9K

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

$770 COP 2.4M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,091 PAB 6,091

$9,011 COP 28.6M

-32.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 COP 274.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 COP 181.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 432.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 310.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$343 PAB 343

$1,055 COP 3.3M

-67.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 PAB 354

$616 COP 2.0M

-42.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,892 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,059 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,678 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$604 PAB 604

$652 COP 2.1M

-7.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-36.01%

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

Last update for David: October 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

David

–

Medellin

$616 38.2%

Groceries & Markets

David

–

Medellin

$295 18.3%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

David

–

Medellin

$214 13.3%

Clothing & Footwear

David

–

Medellin

$170 10.5%

Eating Out

David

–

Medellin

$168 10.4%

Getting Around

David

–

Medellin

$93 5.8%

Sport & Entertainment

David

–

Medellin

$58 3.6%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $343 in David versus $1,055 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 8% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in David versus $46.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $88.0 vs $295 – making David the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇦 David

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

12:16 12:16 PM

Same time as David

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

82,907

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to PAB – Panamanian Balboa Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇦 Panamanian Balboa (B/.)

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

David Medellin 790 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

David
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

David vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 83%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,323 per month in David and $2,421 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in David, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 236% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in David and $46.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in David, where all-in costs run around $882, than in Medellin at $1,614. In David it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward David – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with David. 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.