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: $2,172 in Des Moines, IA versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,288 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,404 in Des Moines, IA versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Des Moines, IA is roughly 29% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Des Moines, IA 59% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.90 $19.90

$8.02 COP 25.4K

148.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.1 $81.1

$47.87 COP 152.0K

69.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.21 $12.21

$9.89 COP 31.4K

23.46%

Cappuccino

$5.98 $5.98

$3.13 COP 9,937

91.05%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$1.91 COP 6,058

60.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.51 COP 4,794

69.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.04 $5.04

$3.12 COP 9,917

61.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.66 $5.66

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-1.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.44 COP 4,587

-36.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 $2.90

$2.49 COP 7,894

16.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$1.77 COP 5,631

83.62%

Eggs

$3.98 $3.98

$2.96 COP 9,396

34.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.35 $9.35

$10.07 COP 32.0K

-7.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 $9.44

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-6.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.77 $13.77

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-3.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$4.14 COP 13.1K

4.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.61 COP 5,106

-5.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$2.25 COP 7,129

96.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.65 $3.65

$2.25 COP 7,150

62.22%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.04 COP 6,486

53.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.54 COP 4,873

42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.17 COP 3,715

105.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.31 COP 4,148

66.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.86 $7.86

$3.90 COP 12.4K

101.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$14.01 COP 44.5K

7.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.74 COP 5,534

-2.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.87 COP 9,112

3.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.22 COP 3,858

45.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.0 $59.0

$80.5 COP 255.5K

-26.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.31 COP 4,155

51.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 $1.22

$2.19 COP 6,944

-44.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.89 $19.89

$8.71 COP 27.7K

128.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.37 COP 4,334

-31.39%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$27.8K COP 88.4M

27.91%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-30.52%

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

$189 $189

$177 COP 562.9K

6.32%

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

$52.0 $52.0

$13.88 COP 44.1K

274.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.0 $70.0

$29.72 COP 94.4K

135.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.7 $63.7

$44.88 COP 142.5K

41.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.91 $19.91

$17.12 COP 54.4K

16.30%

Cinema Ticket

$15.14 $15.14

$6.65 COP 21.1K

127.67%

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

$1,178 $1,178

$813 COP 2.6M

44.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K $11.8K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

28.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.7 $60.7

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-32.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.97 $42.97

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-27.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$138 COP 438.8K

-26.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 $146

$102 COP 324.2K

43.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,182 $1,182

$1,062 COP 3.4M

11.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$869 $869

$663 COP 2.1M

31.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 $1,746

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-7.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 $1,430

$1,027 COP 3.3M

39.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,294 $2,294

$4,183 COP 13.3M

-45.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 $2,290

$1,675 COP 5.3M

36.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,920 $3,920

$678 COP 2.2M

478.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.03

10.94

-44.88%

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

Last update for Des Moines, IA: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,182 in Des Moines, IA and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 478% 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 $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 vs $305 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 29% 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.

Average pay runs 478% higher in Des Moines, IA, 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: $1,182 in Des Moines, IA versus $1,062 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 $48.00 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 $2,172 per month in Des Moines, IA versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,172 in Des Moines, IA, a $2,500 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 $1,681 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 29% less than in Des Moines, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.