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: $2,111 in Des Moines, IA versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,163 in Des Moines, IA versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,214 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Des Moines, IA is roughly 104% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Des Moines, IA is 58% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.09 $16.09

$5.92 COP 21.4K

171.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.5 $81.5

$32.75 COP 118.2K

148.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.81 $11.81

$7.20 COP 26.0K

64.03%

Cappuccino

$4.99 $4.99

$1.70 COP 6,140

193.53%

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

$2.33 $2.33

$1.10 COP 3,966

111.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 $1.89

$0.72 COP 2,605

162.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.05 $5.05

$1.67 COP 6,022

202.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 $7.12

$3.10 COP 11.2K

129.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.06 COP 3,809

-6.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.25 COP 4,497

97.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.39 COP 5,022

54.68%

Eggs

$3.59 $3.59

$2.26 COP 8,168

58.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.47 $12.47

$4.33 COP 15.6K

187.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.63 $10.63

$5.84 COP 21.1K

82.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.83 $12.83

$8.83 COP 31.9K

45.30%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$2.24 COP 8,099

103.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.08 COP 3,882

39.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.53 COP 5,522

133.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 $3.54

$1.37 COP 4,950

158.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.13 COP 4,078

48.67%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.12 COP 4,036

172.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$0.85 COP 3,057

160.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.91 COP 3,281

23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.06 $7.06

$2.33 COP 8,414

203.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.03 $15.03

$11.13 COP 40.2K

35.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.19 COP 4,309

42.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.37 COP 8,553

71.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 $1.71

$0.79 COP 2,838

116.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.8 $57.8

$41.13 COP 148.5K

40.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.44 COP 5,184

42.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.91 COP 6,901

-36.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.05 $20.05

$8.02 COP 28.9K

150.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.94 COP 3,385

-13.83%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

44.72%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-6.63%

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

$144 $144

$84.0 COP 303.1K

71.68%

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

$52.1 $52.1

$9.60 COP 34.7K

442.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.8 $53.8

$24.16 COP 87.2K

122.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.7 $65.7

$25.88 COP 93.4K

153.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 $19.90

$19.04 COP 68.7K

4.52%

Cinema Ticket

$15.16 $15.16

$3.92 COP 14.1K

286.73%

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

$1,362 $1,362

$306 COP 1.1M

344.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K $11.7K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

97.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 $53.3

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-8.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.62 $41.62

$31.82 COP 114.9K

30.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 $72.8

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-27.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 $129

$107 COP 386.8K

19.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 $1,212

$487 COP 1.8M

148.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$921 $921

$368 COP 1.3M

150.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,770 $1,770

$826 COP 3.0M

114.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,467 $1,467

$716 COP 2.6M

104.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,311 $2,311

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-20.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,300 $2,300

$1,407 COP 5.1M

63.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,660 $3,660

$546 COP 2.0M

571.01%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,212 in Des Moines, IA and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 571% 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: $82.0 in Des Moines, IA vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $330 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 104% 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 571% 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: $1,212 in Des Moines, IA versus $487 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 $82.0 in Des Moines, IA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,111 per month in Des Moines, IA versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 104% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $2,111 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 $1,034 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 104% less than in Des Moines, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.