Cost of Living Comparison Between Desamparados and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Desamparados and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,572 per month in Desamparados vs $1,028 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Desamparados vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,190 per month in Desamparados vs $2,144 in Medellin, rent included.

Desamparados costs about 53% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Desamparados sits 18% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.09 ₡4,552

$6.00 COP 20.6K

68.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 ₡22.9K

$32.84 COP 112.5K

54.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.99 ₡4,508

$7.42 COP 25.4K

34.64%

Cappuccino

$3.84 ₡1,734

$1.65 COP 5,659

132.73%

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

$2.05 ₡923

$1.07 COP 3,663

91.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₡719

$0.76 COP 2,607

109.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 ₡1,351

$1.72 COP 5,908

73.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.64 ₡2,095

$3.20 COP 11.0K

45.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ₡929

$1.05 COP 3,597

96.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 ₡1,249

$1.31 COP 4,479

111.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ₡1,006

$1.34 COP 4,591

66.42%

Eggs

$2.88 ₡1,301

$2.19 COP 7,521

31.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 ₡4,373

$4.41 COP 15.1K

119.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.98 ₡4,052

$5.69 COP 19.5K

57.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.78 ₡6,215

$8.52 COP 29.2K

61.74%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 ₡2,048

$2.34 COP 8,023

94.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ₡663

$1.11 COP 3,804

32.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.29 ₡1,935

$1.52 COP 5,210

182.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.21 ₡1,450

$1.37 COP 4,680

134.31%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 ₡1,489

$1.15 COP 3,950

186.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 ₡1,317

$1.18 COP 4,043

147.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₡457

$0.84 COP 2,885

20.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 ₡1,335

$0.86 COP 2,931

244.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,235

$2.26 COP 7,753

119.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.16 ₡7,744

$11.60 COP 39.8K

47.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₡1,027

$1.20 COP 4,109

90.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 ₡1,182

$2.48 COP 8,484

5.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ₡462

$0.79 COP 2,721

30.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₡842

$1.47 COP 5,023

27.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 ₡798

$1.92 COP 6,568

-7.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.94 ₡3,584

$7.77 COP 26.6K

2.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ₡627

$1.01 COP 3,464

37.62%

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

$37.1K ₡16.7M

$17.7K COP 60.5M

109.90%

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

$33.0K ₡14.9M

$26.5K COP 90.7M

24.80%

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

$93.8 ₡42.3K

$81.1 COP 277.9K

15.62%

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

$26.30 ₡11.9K

$9.43 COP 32.3K

178.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 ₡23.9K

$23.86 COP 81.8K

122.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 ₡25.3K

$25.99 COP 89.1K

115.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.00 ₡10.8K

$18.71 COP 64.1K

28.27%

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 ₡4,594

$4.09 COP 14.0K

148.90%

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

$521 ₡235.2K

$315 COP 1.1M

65.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K ₡5.6M

$6,022 COP 20.6M

105.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 ₡28.1K

$59.7 COP 204.6K

4.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 ₡23.6K

$31.97 COP 109.6K

63.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 ₡57.4K

$101 COP 346.9K

25.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₡48.0K

$105 COP 360.3K

1.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$766 ₡345.5K

$485 COP 1.7M

57.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$592 ₡266.9K

$365 COP 1.3M

62.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ₡681.6K

$827 COP 2.8M

82.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$946 ₡426.8K

$730 COP 2.5M

29.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

13.43

-24.27%

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

Last update for Desamparados: June 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $766 in Desamparados versus $485 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Desamparados versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $355 vs $190 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Desamparados vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,572 in Desamparados, $1,028 in Medellin – roughly 53% apart. Desamparados costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,358 per month in Desamparados and $1,542 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Desamparados and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 87% more in Desamparados, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,028, than in Desamparados at $1,572. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Desamparados it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,028 in Medellin to $1,572 in Desamparados. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Desamparados makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.