Cost of Living Comparison Between Dorado and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Dorado and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,481 in Dorado versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,244 in Dorado versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,008 in Dorado versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Dorado is roughly 46% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dorado is 10% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.63 $18.63

$5.95 COP 20.8K

213.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 $81.9

$33.33 COP 116.3K

145.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.61 $9.61

$7.23 COP 25.2K

32.92%

Cappuccino

$3.63 $3.63

$1.63 COP 5,687

122.70%

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

$1.72 $1.72

$1.09 COP 3,821

57.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$0.73 COP 2,548

98.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.74 COP 6,065

69.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 $4.56

$3.23 COP 11.3K

41.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.05 COP 3,662

135.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.44 $3.44

$1.29 COP 4,515

166.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.32 COP 4,617

63.64%

Eggs

$5.91 $5.91

$2.27 COP 7,927

160.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 $8.92

$4.35 COP 15.2K

105.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.72 $8.72

$5.88 COP 20.5K

48.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 $12.78

$8.61 COP 30.0K

48.43%

Apples (1kg)

$5.95 $5.95

$2.25 COP 7,844

164.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.07 COP 3,733

145.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$1.52 COP 5,322

163.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$1.42 COP 4,964

188.73%

Potato (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$1.17 COP 4,084

250.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.17 COP 4,077

148.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 $3.02

$0.89 COP 3,096

239.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.90 COP 3,146

117.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.99 $11.99

$2.25 COP 7,837

432.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.87 $15.87

$11.04 COP 38.5K

43.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.14 COP 3,977

114.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.38 COP 8,301

31.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.12 $5.12

$1.41 COP 4,912

263.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.90 COP 6,634

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.98 $14.98

$7.75 COP 27.0K

93.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.01 COP 3,509

-2.97%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

106.99%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

1.23%

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

$479 $479

$83.7 COP 292.1K

472.85%

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

$28.30 $28.30

$9.45 COP 33.0K

199.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 $66.1

$24.11 COP 84.1K

174.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.9 $59.9

$25.31 COP 88.3K

136.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$9.85 $9.85

$4.10 COP 14.3K

140.24%

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

$305 $305

$312 COP 1.1M

-2.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,914 $4,914

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-18.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.42 $45.42

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-21.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 $57.2

$32.56 COP 113.6K

75.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 $90.9

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-8.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$109 COP 378.8K

-2.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 $1,323

$482 COP 1.7M

174.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,830 $1,830

$837 COP 2.9M

118.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,002 $2,002

$723 COP 2.5M

176.84%

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)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

13.43

-57.48%

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

Last update for Dorado: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,323 in Dorado and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $82.0 in Dorado vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $386 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

Dorado vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,222 in Dorado and $1,525 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,323 in Dorado versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Dorado versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $82.0 in Dorado. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,481 in Dorado, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Dorado. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Dorado, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Dorado. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.