🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,269 in Dilijan versus $1,681 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,081 in Dilijan versus $2,445 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,894 in Dilijan versus $3,210 in Medellin.
🌍Living in Dilijan costs roughly 25% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Dilijan is 7% below, Medellin is 23% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dilijan
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.24֏4,078
$8.02COP 25.0K
40.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.02֏15.2K
$47.87COP 149.4K
-12.22%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.74֏3,899
$9.89COP 30.8K
8.59%
Cappuccino
$2.74֏994
$3.13COP 9,767
-12.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.20֏436
$1.91COP 5,954
-37.17%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.67֏244
$1.51COP 4,712
-55.63%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.19֏794
$3.12COP 9,747
-29.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74֏995
$5.75COP 17.9K
-52.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dilijan
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.65֏598
$1.44COP 4,509
14.58%
White Bread(500g)
$0.95֏343
$2.49COP 7,759
-61.85%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.18֏792
$1.77COP 5,535
23.16%
Eggs
$2.85֏1,034
$2.96COP 9,235
-3.72%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.08֏2,933
$10.07COP 31.4K
-19.76%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.70֏2,794
$10.12COP 31.6K
-23.91%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.93֏5,056
$14.30COP 44.6K
-2.59%
Apples(1kg)
$1.47֏533
$4.14COP 12.9K
-64.49%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70֏617
$1.61COP 5,019
5.59%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.94֏704
$2.25COP 7,007
-13.78%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.36֏855
$2.25COP 7,028
4.89%
Potato(1kg)
$0.67֏242
$2.04COP 6,375
-67.16%
Onion(1kg)
$0.64֏232
$1.54COP 4,790
-58.44%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98֏356
$1.17COP 3,651
-16.24%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.74֏267
$1.31COP 4,077
-43.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.83֏1,026
$3.90COP 12.2K
-27.44%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.86֏3,941
$14.01COP 43.7K
-22.48%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.49֏540
$1.74COP 5,439
-14.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00֏725
$2.87COP 8,956
-30.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Dilijan
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.29֏106
$1.22COP 3,792
-76.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$80.5COP 251.1K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.40֏506
$1.31COP 4,084
6.87%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.57֏207
$2.19COP 6,825
-73.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.09֏4,751
$8.71COP 27.2K
50.29%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.56֏567
$1.37COP 4,260
13.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.4K֏12.9M
$27.8KCOP 86.9M
27.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.7K֏12.2M
$35.8KCOP 111.6M
-5.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dilijan
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123֏44.5K
$177COP 553.2K
-30.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.93֏2,879
$13.88COP 43.3K
-42.87%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.68֏7,867
$29.72COP 92.8K
-27.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dilijan
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$97.1֏35.2K
$44.88COP 140.1K
116.40%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.12COP 53.4K
-
Cinema Ticket
$2.69֏977
$6.65COP 20.7K
-59.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dilijan
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$166֏60.4K
$813COP 2.5M
-79.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,988֏3.6M
$9,187COP 28.7M
8.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dilijan
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102֏37.2K
$89.5COP 279.3K
14.45%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.2֏20.8K
$59.0COP 184.0K
-2.98%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$135֏48.9K
$138COP 431.2K
-2.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$164֏59.5K
$102COP 318.7K
60.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dilijan
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$575֏208.7K
$1,062COP 3.3M
-45.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$383֏139.0K
$663COP 2.1M
-42.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,051֏381.4K
$1,888COP 5.9M
-44.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$884֏320.9K
$1,027COP 3.2M
-13.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$4,183COP 13.1M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,675COP 5.2M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dilijan
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$696֏252.6K
$678COP 2.1M
2.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
14.04
10.94
28.34%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Dilijan: September 12, 2026
Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $575 in Dilijan and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Dilijan pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $42.00 in Dilijan vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $305 per month, with Dilijan 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 in Medellin?
Dilijan and Medellin differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($1,269 vs $1,681 including rent). Dilijan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Dilijan or Medellin?
Average pay runs 3% higher in Dilijan, 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 in Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $575 in Dilijan versus $1,062 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 29% higher in Medellin. 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 $1,269 per month in Dilijan versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,269 in Dilijan versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dilijan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Dilijan 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 Dilijan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.