Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Derby and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,614 a month against $2,318 in Derby, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Derby
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,318
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Derby 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 Derby and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,318 in Derby versus $1,614 in Medellin.

  • Derby $2,318
  • Medellin $1,614

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,507 in Derby versus $2,402 in Medellin.

  • Derby $3,507
  • Medellin $2,402

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,696 in Derby versus $3,190 in Medellin.

  • Derby $4,696
  • Medellin $3,190

Living in Derby is roughly 44% more expensive than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Derby 72% above, Medellin 20% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Derby
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.32 A$26.25
$7.93 COP 25.3K
131.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.8 A$111
$46.13 COP 147.1K
68.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.79 A$15.45
$9.50 COP 30.3K
13.58%
Cappuccino
$3.96 A$5.67
$3.11 COP 9,920
27.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.03 A$4.35
$1.83 COP 5,832
65.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91 A$2.74
$1.38 COP 4,384
38.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.31 A$10.47
$3.05 COP 9,725
139.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.47 A$10.71
$5.50 COP 17.5K
35.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Derby
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.75 A$2.50
$1.45 COP 4,625
20.69%
White Bread (500g)
$2.86 A$4.10
$2.36 COP 7,537
21.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.08 A$2.98
$1.68 COP 5,358
23.81%
Eggs
$4.62 A$6.62
$2.86 COP 9,127
61.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.77 A$13.99
$10.19 COP 32.5K
-4.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.94 A$12.80
$9.53 COP 30.4K
-6.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.60 A$19.48
$14.04 COP 44.8K
-3.13%
Apples (1kg)
$3.48 A$4.98
$4.07 COP 13.0K
-14.50%
Banana (1kg)
$2.98 A$4.28
$1.50 COP 4,768
98.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.36 A$4.81
$2.17 COP 6,929
54.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.69 A$6.72
$2.31 COP 7,350
103.03%
Potato (1kg)
$2.48 A$3.56
$1.93 COP 6,147
28.50%
Onion (1kg)
$2.46 A$3.53
$1.64 COP 5,224
50.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.35 A$3.37
$1.13 COP 3,590
107.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 A$2.48
$1.25 COP 3,976
38.40%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$40.51 A$58.0
$3.99 COP 12.7K
915.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.55 A$22.27
$13.35 COP 42.6K
16.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.83 A$6.93
$1.70 COP 5,413
184.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.65 A$8.09
$2.37 COP 7,566
138.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Derby
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.54 A$3.64
$1.21 COP 3,848
109.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$87.6 A$125
$76.5 COP 243.9K
14.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.03 A$4.35
$1.32 COP 4,202
129.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.55 A$2.22
$2.14 COP 6,811
-27.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$37.67 A$54.0
$8.47 COP 27.0K
344.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.16 A$1.67
$1.30 COP 4,137
-10.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.0K A$34.4K
$28.0K COP 89.2M
-14.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.8K A$44.1K
$35.4K COP 112.9M
-13.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Derby
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$177 A$253
$172 COP 548.6K
2.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.66 A$35.32
$13.37 COP 42.6K
84.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.9 A$85.9
$28.73 COP 91.6K
108.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Derby
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.44 A$69.4
$45.24 COP 144.2K
7.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.35 A$21.98
$17.04 COP 54.3K
-9.92%
Cinema Ticket
$13.46 A$19.27
$6.28 COP 20.0K
114.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Derby
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,070 A$2,965
$770 COP 2.5M
168.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.4K A$26.4K
$9,011 COP 28.7M
104.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Derby
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.0 A$96.0
$86.4 COP 275.5K
-22.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$62.2 A$89.1
$57.1 COP 182.1K
8.86%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.0 A$130
$137 COP 435.3K
-33.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 A$188
$97.9 COP 312.1K
34.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Derby
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,518 A$2,174
$1,055 COP 3.4M
43.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,048 A$1,501
$616 COP 2.0M
70.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,154 A$3,086
$1,892 COP 6.0M
13.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,853 A$2,654
$1,023 COP 3.3M
81.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,285 A$7,571
$4,059 COP 12.9M
30.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,699 A$6,731
$1,678 COP 5.4M
179.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Derby
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$652 COP 2.1M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.84
10.94
-46.62%

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

Last update for Derby: October 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Derby
$1K
Medellin
$616 41.2% $432
Groceries & Markets
Derby
$369
Medellin
$295 20.1% $74
Eating Out
Derby
$298
Medellin
$168 43.4% $129
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Derby
$261
Medellin
$214 18.1% $47
Clothing & Footwear
Derby
$158
Medellin
$170 7.5% $12
Getting Around
Derby
$109
Medellin
$93 14% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Derby
$75
Medellin
$58 23.3% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,518 in Derby and $1,055 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $78.0 in Derby vs $46.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $369 vs $295 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Derby
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
21:49 9:49 PM
08:49 8:49 AM
13 h behind Derby
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,300
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.698 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.625 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 3,188 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,559 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Derby Medellin 17,590 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Derby
  • 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
Derby vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Derby and in Medellin?
Derby and Medellin differ by about 44% in total monthly costs ($2,318 vs $1,614 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Derby compared to Medellin?
You'd need roughly $3,477 in Derby and $2,421 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Derby and in Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,518 in Derby versus $1,055 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Derby. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $78.0 in Derby. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $1,614 in Medellin versus $2,318 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.
How does quality of life compare between Derby and Medellin?
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.
Is Derby or Medellin safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Derby or Medellin?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Derby. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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