Cost of Living Comparison Between Diego Martin and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Diego Martin and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,408 per month in Diego Martin vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,356 per month in Diego Martin vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,304 per month in Diego Martin vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Diego Martin costs about 40% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Diego Martin sits 6% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.10 TTD 34.23

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-13.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 TTD 491

$32.96 COP 103.8K

121.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.71 TTD 45.05

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-9.69%

Cappuccino

$3.75 TTD 25.17

$1.65 COP 5,207

127.27%

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

$1.09 TTD 7.35

$1.10 COP 3,468

-0.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 TTD 3.84

$0.78 COP 2,458

-26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 TTD 12.07

$1.72 COP 5,412

4.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 TTD 21.23

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-0.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.68 TTD 17.96

$1.10 COP 3,474

143.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 TTD 14.00

$1.26 COP 3,962

65.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 TTD 18.18

$1.38 COP 4,349

96.38%

Eggs

$4.38 TTD 29.40

$2.18 COP 6,858

100.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.09 TTD 54.4

$4.49 COP 14.1K

80.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.37 TTD 69.6

$5.79 COP 18.2K

79.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.19 TTD 95.3

$8.97 COP 28.2K

58.19%

Apples (1kg)

$5.68 TTD 38.17

$2.32 COP 7,308

144.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 TTD 16.89

$1.06 COP 3,352

137.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 TTD 29.32

$1.52 COP 4,774

187.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 TTD 32.42

$1.36 COP 4,270

255.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 TTD 10.00

$1.13 COP 3,552

31.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 TTD 11.10

$1.17 COP 3,689

41.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 TTD 12.78

$0.90 COP 2,838

111.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.41

$0.90 COP 2,823

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.84 TTD 39.24

$2.23 COP 7,034

161.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.01 TTD 121

$12.12 COP 38.2K

48.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 TTD 14.22

$1.19 COP 3,743

78.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 TTD 19.15

$2.48 COP 7,815

14.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 TTD 5.78

$0.85 COP 2,687

1.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.8 TTD 495

$41.62 COP 131.0K

77.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 TTD 7.12

$1.42 COP 4,459

-25.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 TTD 6.02

$1.95 COP 6,141

-53.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.65 TTD 98.4

$7.89 COP 24.8K

85.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 TTD 7.23

$0.99 COP 3,118

9.09%

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

$14.9K TTD 99.9K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

-15.46%

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

$38.9K TTD 261.4K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

45.24%

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

$80.0 TTD 537

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-3.64%

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

$45.92 TTD 308

$9.70 COP 30.5K

373.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.3 TTD 418

$23.52 COP 74.1K

164.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 TTD 298

$25.26 COP 79.5K

75.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$7.19 TTD 48.31

$3.95 COP 12.4K

82.03%

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

$330 TTD 2,218

$316 COP 994.2K

4.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,260 TTD 48.8K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

21.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 TTD 398

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-1.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.17 TTD 256

$31.82 COP 100.2K

19.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 TTD 983

$102 COP 320.1K

44.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 TTD 865

$107 COP 338.3K

19.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$665 TTD 4,464

$475 COP 1.5M

39.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 TTD 3,006

$374 COP 1.2M

19.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,437 TTD 9,648

$849 COP 2.7M

69.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$953 TTD 6,402

$719 COP 2.3M

32.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,751 TTD 11.8K

$624 COP 2.0M

180.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

13.43

-59.94%

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

Last update for Diego Martin: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $665 in Diego Martin versus $475 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 180% higher in Diego Martin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Diego Martin versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $364 vs $193 – 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

Diego Martin vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Diego Martin costs about 40% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,111 per month in Diego Martin and $1,504 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.

Groceries cost about 88% more in Diego Martin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Diego Martin and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Diego Martin at $1,408. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Diego Martin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,003 versus $1,408 in Diego Martin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Diego Martin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.