Cost of Living Comparison Between Derby and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Derby and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,585 in Derby versus $1,687 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,670 in Derby versus $2,535 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,756 in Derby versus $3,383 in Medellin.

Living in Derby is roughly 53% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Derby 89% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.67 A$24.82

$7.89 COP 24.2K

123.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.0 A$114

$44.53 COP 136.5K

81.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.08 A$15.56

$9.29 COP 28.5K

19.27%

Cappuccino

$4.56 A$6.40

$2.90 COP 8,874

57.24%

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

$3.24 A$4.55

$1.81 COP 5,541

79.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 A$3.45

$1.55 COP 4,741

58.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.69 A$10.80

$3.25 COP 9,962

136.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.93 A$9.73

$5.88 COP 18.0K

17.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.29

$1.38 COP 4,230

18.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 A$4.10

$2.45 COP 7,517

19.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 A$3.36

$1.51 COP 4,617

58.28%

Eggs

$4.76 A$6.68

$2.78 COP 8,516

71.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.56 A$13.43

$9.05 COP 27.7K

5.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.82 A$13.79

$10.65 COP 32.6K

-7.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.88 A$20.89

$14.63 COP 44.8K

1.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 A$5.81

$3.97 COP 12.2K

4.28%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 A$4.34

$1.38 COP 4,219

123.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 A$4.34

$2.30 COP 7,056

34.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.06 A$7.10

$2.02 COP 6,185

150.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 A$3.73

$2.09 COP 6,390

26.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 A$3.23

$1.63 COP 4,996

41.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.07

$1.08 COP 3,313

102.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 A$1.94

$1.25 COP 3,843

10.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$35.73 A$50.2

$4.03 COP 12.4K

786.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.61 A$19.12

$13.47 COP 41.3K

1.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.81 A$6.76

$1.60 COP 4,904

200.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.21 A$7.32

$3.00 COP 9,189

73.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 A$4.37

$1.18 COP 3,611

163.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.6 A$101

$79.9 COP 244.9K

-10.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.95 A$5.55

$1.61 COP 4,920

145.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 A$2.42

$2.13 COP 6,533

-19.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.84 A$63.0

$8.52 COP 26.1K

426.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 A$1.69

$1.35 COP 4,142

-10.37%

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

$25.0K A$35.1K

$28.3K COP 86.8M

-11.84%

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

$32.7K A$45.9K

$35.7K COP 109.4M

-8.44%

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

$199 A$280

$151 COP 463.8K

31.64%

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

$26.39 A$37.06

$13.10 COP 40.1K

101.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.9 A$79.9

$32.30 COP 99.0K

76.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 A$84.6

$46.33 COP 141.9K

30.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.41 A$24.44

$17.26 COP 52.9K

0.87%

Cinema Ticket

$17.88 A$25.11

$6.43 COP 19.7K

178.07%

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

$1,914 A$2,688

$835 COP 2.6M

129.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.8K A$27.8K

$8,887 COP 27.2M

122.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.8 A$112

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-10.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.8

$55.3 COP 169.5K

-3.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 A$144

$137 COP 418.5K

-24.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 A$181

$109 COP 335.1K

17.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,250 A$1,755

$952 COP 2.9M

31.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 A$1,811

$668 COP 2.0M

93.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,173 A$3,051

$2,020 COP 6.2M

7.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 A$2,616

$1,148 COP 3.5M

62.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,955 A$9,766

$3,696 COP 11.3M

88.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,998 A$7,018

$1,586 COP 4.9M

215.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.81

10.43

-44.30%

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

Last update for Derby: August 18, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,250 in Derby and $952 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $81.0 in Derby vs $45.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $373 vs $297 per month, with Medellin 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

Derby vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Derby and Medellin differ by about 53% in total monthly costs ($2,585 vs $1,687 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,877 in Derby and $2,530 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: $1,250 in Derby versus $952 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Derby. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $81.0 in Derby. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,687 in Medellin versus $2,585 in Derby, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Derby. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Derby and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Derby. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.