Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Moines, IA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Moines, IA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,036 in Des Moines, IA versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,077 in Des Moines, IA versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,118 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Des Moines, IA is roughly 100% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Des Moines, IA is 52% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.82 $15.82

$5.95 COP 20.8K

165.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.0 $81.0

$33.33 COP 116.3K

143.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$7.23 COP 25.2K

64.04%

Cappuccino

$5.05 $5.05

$1.63 COP 5,687

209.82%

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

$2.33 $2.33

$1.09 COP 3,821

113.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.73 COP 2,548

167.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.94 $4.94

$1.74 COP 6,065

183.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 $6.88

$3.23 COP 11.3K

113.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.05 COP 3,662

-9.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.29 COP 4,515

89.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.32 COP 4,617

64.39%

Eggs

$3.68 $3.68

$2.27 COP 7,927

62.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 $12.53

$4.35 COP 15.2K

188.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.44 $10.44

$5.88 COP 20.5K

77.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.09 $13.09

$8.61 COP 30.0K

52.03%

Apples (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$2.25 COP 7,844

95.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.07 COP 3,733

39.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$1.52 COP 5,322

136.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$1.42 COP 4,964

154.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.17 COP 4,084

37.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.17 COP 4,077

158.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 $2.19

$0.89 COP 3,096

146.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 $1.08

$0.90 COP 3,146

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.19 $7.19

$2.25 COP 7,837

219.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$11.04 COP 38.5K

34.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.14 COP 3,977

49.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 $3.94

$2.38 COP 8,301

65.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 $1.70

$0.84 COP 2,916

102.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.4 $57.4

$41.95 COP 146.4K

36.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.41 COP 4,912

39.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.90 COP 6,634

-35.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.91 $19.91

$7.75 COP 27.0K

156.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.01 COP 3,509

-18.81%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

48.22%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-6.35%

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

$142 $142

$83.7 COP 292.1K

69.91%

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

$51.7 $51.7

$9.45 COP 33.0K

447.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 $54.3

$24.11 COP 84.1K

125.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.0 $68.0

$25.31 COP 88.3K

168.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.28 $20.28

$19.14 COP 66.8K

5.96%

Cinema Ticket

$14.87 $14.87

$4.10 COP 14.3K

262.68%

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

$1,350 $1,350

$312 COP 1.1M

332.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K $11.9K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

98.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 $53.9

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-7.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.53 $42.53

$32.56 COP 113.6K

30.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.3 $73.3

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-26.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 $128

$109 COP 378.8K

17.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 $1,247

$482 COP 1.7M

158.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$927 $927

$379 COP 1.3M

144.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,733 $1,733

$837 COP 2.9M

106.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,475 $1,475

$723 COP 2.5M

103.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,301 $2,301

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-18.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,316 $2,316

$1,223 COP 4.3M

89.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,659 $3,659

$541 COP 1.9M

576.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

13.43

-51.60%

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

Last update for Des Moines, IA: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,247 in Des Moines, IA and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 576% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $81.0 in Des Moines, IA vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $329 vs $190 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

Des Moines, IA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 100% lower than in Des Moines, IA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Des Moines, IA pays 576% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,247 in Des Moines, IA versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $81.0 in Des Moines, IA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,036 per month in Des Moines, IA versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 100% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $2,036 in Des Moines, IA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Des Moines, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,017 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Des Moines, IA 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 100% less than in Des Moines, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.