😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,199 in Dilijan versus $1,034 in Medellin.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,935 in Dilijan versus $1,577 in Medellin.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,671 in Dilijan versus $2,120 in Medellin.
😐Living in Dilijan is roughly 16% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Dilijan10% lower, Medellin23% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dilijan
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.60֏3,930
$5.92COP 21.4K
79.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.99֏14.8K
$32.75COP 118.2K
22.11%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.77֏2,880
$7.20COP 26.0K
7.92%
Cappuccino
$2.67֏992
$1.70COP 6,140
57.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.96֏356
$1.10COP 3,966
-12.73%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53֏198
$0.72COP 2,605
-26.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.81֏672
$1.67COP 6,022
8.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.56֏947
$3.10COP 11.2K
-17.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dilijan
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.65֏613
$1.06COP 3,809
55.66%
White Bread(500g)
$0.84֏311
$1.25COP 4,497
-32.80%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.32֏861
$1.39COP 5,022
66.91%
Eggs
$2.36֏875
$2.26COP 8,168
4.42%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.15֏3,021
$4.33COP 15.6K
88.22%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.22֏2,677
$5.84COP 21.1K
23.63%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.15֏4,502
$8.83COP 31.9K
37.60%
Apples(1kg)
$1.32֏490
$2.24COP 8,099
-41.07%
Banana(1kg)
$1.55֏575
$1.08COP 3,882
43.52%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.70֏630
$1.53COP 5,522
11.11%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.24֏830
$1.37COP 4,950
63.50%
Potato(1kg)
$0.76֏281
$1.13COP 4,078
-32.74%
Onion(1kg)
$0.73֏270
$1.12COP 4,036
-34.82%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.90֏332
$0.85COP 3,057
5.88%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68֏254
$0.91COP 3,281
-25.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.57֏952
$2.33COP 8,414
10.30%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.04֏2,980
$11.13COP 40.2K
-27.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29֏478
$1.19COP 4,309
8.40%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26֏839
$2.37COP 8,553
-4.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Dilijan
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.25֏92.5
$0.79COP 2,838
-68.35%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$41.13COP 148.5K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.53֏568
$1.44COP 5,184
6.25%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.31֏115
$1.91COP 6,901
-83.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.57֏1,695
$8.02COP 28.9K
-43.02%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.41֏524
$0.94COP 3,385
50.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.8K֏11.8M
$17.9KCOP 64.7M
77.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.9K֏13.7M
$26.8KCOP 96.7M
37.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dilijan
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$120֏44.4K
$84.0COP 303.1K
42.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.57֏2,806
$9.60COP 34.7K
-21.15%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.74֏7,689
$24.16COP 87.2K
-14.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dilijan
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$90.2֏33.4K
$25.88COP 93.4K
248.42%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.04COP 68.7K
-
Cinema Ticket
$2.66֏985
$3.92COP 14.1K
-32.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dilijan
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$156֏57.8K
$306COP 1.1M
-49.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,757֏2.9M
$5,919COP 21.4M
31.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dilijan
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$112֏41.5K
$57.9COP 209.1K
93.30%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.9֏22.2K
$31.82COP 114.9K
88.28%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$142֏52.7K
$99.9COP 360.6K
42.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$137֏50.9K
$107COP 386.8K
28.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dilijan
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$554֏205.4K
$487COP 1.8M
13.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$373֏138.4K
$368COP 1.3M
1.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963֏356.9K
$826COP 3.0M
16.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$845֏313.3K
$716COP 2.6M
18.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$2,925COP 10.6M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,407COP 5.1M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dilijan
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$680֏252.2K
$546COP 2.0M
24.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
15.53
13.43
15.64%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Dilijan: April 25, 2026
Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $554 in Dilijan and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Dilijan pays 25% 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: $40.00 in Dilijan vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $190 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.
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
Dilijan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Dilijan and Medellin?
Dilijan and Medellin differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($1,199 vs $1,034 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Dilijan or Medellin?
Dilijan pays 25% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Dilijan and Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $554 in Dilijan versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Dilijan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Dilijan or Medellin?
All in, you'll spend $1,199 per month in Dilijan versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,199 in Dilijan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Dilijan. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Dilijan and Medellin?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Dilijan or Medellin safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Dilijan and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Dilijan or Medellin?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Dilijan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.