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 $1,419 per month in Diego Martin vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,340 per month in Diego Martin vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,260 per month in Diego Martin vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Diego Martin costs about 37% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Diego Martin sits 6% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 TTD 35.95

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-10.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.2 TTD 497

$32.75 COP 119.1K

123.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 TTD 46.26

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-5.42%

Cappuccino

$3.62 TTD 24.58

$1.70 COP 6,186

112.94%

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

$1.05 TTD 7.14

$1.10 COP 3,996

-4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 TTD 3.83

$0.72 COP 2,625

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 TTD 12.19

$1.67 COP 6,067

7.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 TTD 21.24

$3.10 COP 11.3K

0.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.76 TTD 18.73

$1.06 COP 3,837

160.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 TTD 14.44

$1.25 COP 4,531

70.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 TTD 17.69

$1.39 COP 5,060

87.77%

Eggs

$4.41 TTD 29.91

$2.26 COP 8,229

95.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.11 TTD 55.1

$4.33 COP 15.8K

87.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.38 TTD 70.5

$5.84 COP 21.2K

77.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.09 TTD 95.7

$8.83 COP 32.1K

59.57%

Apples (1kg)

$5.97 TTD 40.51

$2.24 COP 8,159

166.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 TTD 16.98

$1.08 COP 3,911

131.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 TTD 29.60

$1.53 COP 5,563

184.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 TTD 31.55

$1.37 COP 4,987

239.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 TTD 9.84

$1.13 COP 4,109

28.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 TTD 11.68

$1.12 COP 4,067

53.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 TTD 12.79

$0.85 COP 3,080

121.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 TTD 9.59

$0.91 COP 3,305

54.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.79 TTD 39.29

$2.33 COP 8,477

148.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.81 TTD 135

$11.13 COP 40.5K

77.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 TTD 14.89

$1.19 COP 4,342

84.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 TTD 19.02

$2.37 COP 8,617

18.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 TTD 6.32

$0.79 COP 2,859

17.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 TTD 508

$41.13 COP 149.6K

81.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 TTD 6.79

$1.44 COP 5,223

-30.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 TTD 6.09

$1.91 COP 6,952

-52.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.67 TTD 99.6

$8.02 COP 29.2K

82.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 TTD 7.55

$0.94 COP 3,410

18.09%

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

$14.6K TTD 99.0K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

-18.64%

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

$38.0K TTD 257.7K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

41.69%

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

$79.4 TTD 539

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-5.45%

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

$46.81 TTD 318

$9.60 COP 34.9K

387.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.4 TTD 417

$24.16 COP 87.9K

154.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.10 TTD 299

$25.88 COP 94.1K

70.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 TTD 50.9

$3.92 COP 14.2K

91.33%

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

$325 TTD 2,206

$306 COP 1.1M

6.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,326 TTD 49.7K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

23.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 TTD 403

$57.9 COP 210.6K

2.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.39 TTD 261

$31.82 COP 115.7K

20.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 TTD 993

$99.9 COP 363.3K

46.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 TTD 879

$107 COP 389.7K

20.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$674 TTD 4,578

$487 COP 1.8M

38.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$442 TTD 3,004

$368 COP 1.3M

20.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,452 TTD 9,859

$826 COP 3.0M

75.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 TTD 6,452

$716 COP 2.6M

32.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,783 TTD 12.1K

$546 COP 2.0M

226.90%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $674 in Diego Martin versus $487 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 227% 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: $369 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

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

Diego Martin costs about 37% 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 $2,129 per month in Diego Martin and $1,550 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 95% 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 $1,034, than in Diego Martin at $1,419. 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 $1,034 versus $1,419 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.