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 $1,420 per month in Diego Martin vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,396 per month in Diego Martin vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,372 per month in Diego Martin vs $2,188 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 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.25 TTD 35.52

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-11.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.1 TTD 501

$33.33 COP 116.3K

122.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.75 TTD 45.61

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-6.64%

Cappuccino

$3.61 TTD 24.39

$1.63 COP 5,687

121.47%

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

$1.10 TTD 7.45

$1.09 COP 3,821

0.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 TTD 3.87

$0.73 COP 2,548

-21.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 TTD 12.80

$1.74 COP 6,065

8.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 TTD 20.33

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-6.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.78 TTD 18.78

$1.05 COP 3,662

164.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 TTD 14.38

$1.29 COP 4,515

65.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 TTD 17.40

$1.32 COP 4,617

94.70%

Eggs

$4.51 TTD 30.48

$2.27 COP 7,927

98.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.75 TTD 52.4

$4.35 COP 15.2K

78.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.43 TTD 70.5

$5.88 COP 20.5K

77.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.51 TTD 98.1

$8.61 COP 30.0K

68.52%

Apples (1kg)

$5.86 TTD 39.62

$2.25 COP 7,844

160.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 TTD 17.10

$1.07 COP 3,733

136.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 TTD 28.68

$1.52 COP 5,322

178.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.61 TTD 31.16

$1.42 COP 4,964

224.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 TTD 10.16

$1.17 COP 4,084

28.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 TTD 11.51

$1.17 COP 4,077

45.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 TTD 13.08

$0.89 COP 3,096

117.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 TTD 9.87

$0.90 COP 3,146

62.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.86 TTD 39.63

$2.25 COP 7,837

160.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.46 TTD 125

$11.04 COP 38.5K

67.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 TTD 14.51

$1.14 COP 3,977

88.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 TTD 19.05

$2.38 COP 8,301

18.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 TTD 5.81

$0.84 COP 2,916

2.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.3 TTD 502

$41.95 COP 146.4K

77.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 TTD 6.83

$1.41 COP 4,912

-28.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 TTD 6.15

$1.90 COP 6,634

-52.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.62 TTD 98.9

$7.75 COP 27.0K

88.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 TTD 7.29

$1.01 COP 3,509

6.93%

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

$14.5K TTD 98.1K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

-17.50%

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

$38.3K TTD 258.7K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

44.41%

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

$78.8 TTD 533

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-5.84%

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

$46.94 TTD 317

$9.45 COP 33.0K

396.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.7 TTD 424

$24.11 COP 84.1K

159.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.19 TTD 299

$25.31 COP 88.3K

74.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$7.59 TTD 51.3

$4.10 COP 14.3K

85.12%

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

$334 TTD 2,256

$312 COP 1.1M

6.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,115 TTD 48.1K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

18.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 TTD 405

$58.0 COP 202.6K

3.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.07 TTD 264

$32.56 COP 113.6K

19.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 TTD 1,002

$99.6 COP 347.7K

48.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 TTD 882

$109 COP 378.8K

20.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 TTD 4,548

$482 COP 1.7M

39.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 TTD 3,029

$379 COP 1.3M

18.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,417 TTD 9,580

$837 COP 2.9M

69.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$956 TTD 6,462

$723 COP 2.5M

32.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,799 TTD 12.2K

$541 COP 1.9M

232.60%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $673 in Diego Martin versus $482 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 233% 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 $74.0 in Diego Martin versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $367 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 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 $2,131 per month in Diego Martin and $1,525 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 94% 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 $74.0 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 $1,017, than in Diego Martin at $1,420. 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 $1,017 versus $1,420 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.