Cost of Living Comparison Between Diadema and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Diadema and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $616 in Diadema versus $1,687 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,068 in Diadema versus $2,535 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,519 in Diadema versus $3,383 in Medellin.

Living in Diadema costs roughly 63% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Diadema is 55% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.82 R$45.80

$7.89 COP 24.2K

11.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.30 R$251

$44.53 COP 136.5K

8.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 R$45.90

$9.29 COP 28.5K

-4.84%

Cappuccino

$2.22 R$11.52

$2.90 COP 8,874

-23.45%

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

$1.41 R$7.30

$1.81 COP 5,541

-22.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.51

$1.55 COP 4,741

-43.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 R$15.03

$3.25 COP 9,962

-11.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 R$21.70

$5.88 COP 18.0K

-28.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 R$6.14

$1.38 COP 4,230

-14.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 R$9.94

$2.45 COP 7,517

-22.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.78

$1.51 COP 4,617

-26.49%

Eggs

$2.63 R$13.67

$2.78 COP 8,516

-5.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 R$44.57

$9.05 COP 27.7K

-5.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 R$22.61

$10.65 COP 32.6K

-59.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.04 R$52.2

$14.63 COP 44.8K

-31.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 R$13.64

$3.97 COP 12.2K

-33.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 R$8.98

$1.38 COP 4,219

25.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 R$7.71

$2.30 COP 7,056

-35.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 R$9.03

$2.02 COP 6,185

-13.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.75

$2.09 COP 6,390

-37.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 R$6.18

$1.63 COP 4,996

-26.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 R$4.62

$1.08 COP 3,313

-17.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 R$3.97

$1.25 COP 3,843

-38.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 R$13.66

$4.03 COP 12.4K

-34.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.75 R$45.42

$13.47 COP 41.3K

-35.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 R$8.42

$1.60 COP 4,904

1.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 R$13.16

$3.00 COP 9,189

-15.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 R$6.35

$1.61 COP 4,920

-24.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.76

$2.13 COP 6,533

-56.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.26 R$48.10

$8.52 COP 26.1K

8.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 R$6.19

$1.35 COP 4,142

-11.85%

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

$23.5K R$121.8K

$28.3K COP 86.8M

-17.18%

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

$32.2K R$167.1K

$35.7K COP 109.4M

-9.86%

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

$44.48 R$231

$151 COP 463.8K

-70.62%

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

$14.83 R$77.0

$13.10 COP 40.1K

13.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 R$92.2

$32.30 COP 99.0K

-45.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.00 R$98.7

$46.33 COP 141.9K

-58.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 R$38.81

$6.43 COP 19.7K

16.17%

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

$424 R$2,201

$835 COP 2.6M

-49.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,511 R$39.0K

$8,887 COP 27.2M

-15.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 R$275

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-40.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.7 R$289

$55.3 COP 169.5K

0.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 R$473

$137 COP 418.5K

-33.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.3 R$422

$109 COP 335.1K

-25.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,155 R$5,999

$3,696 COP 11.3M

-68.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$782 R$4,060

$1,586 COP 4.9M

-50.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$481 R$2,500

$625 COP 1.9M

-23.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.12

10.43

6.62%

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

Last update for Diadema: August 16, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 30% 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: $48.00 in Diadema vs $45.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $211 vs $297, with Diadema cheaper for home cooking.

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

Diadema vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Diadema is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 174% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 30% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $616 per month in Diadema versus $1,687 in Medellin – a 174% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $616 in Diadema versus $1,687 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Diadema but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Diadema the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Diadema is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Diadema gentler on the wallet – expenses run 174% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.