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: $1,290 in Dorado versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Dorado versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,759 in Dorado versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Dorado costs roughly 21% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dorado is 6% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.54 $18.54

$8.04 COP 24.8K

130.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$48.29 COP 148.6K

75.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.18 $9.18

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-2.55%

Cappuccino

$3.59 $3.59

$2.94 COP 9,040

22.11%

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

$1.87 $1.87

$1.86 COP 5,735

0.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.46 COP 4,479

2.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.21 COP 9,882

-8.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 $5.14

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-9.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.44 COP 4,428

55.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.73 $3.73

$2.40 COP 7,389

55.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.70 COP 5,228

38.24%

Eggs

$6.79 $6.79

$2.89 COP 8,896

134.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.65 $12.65

$10.06 COP 30.9K

25.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.66 $9.66

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-3.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.36 $13.36

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-5.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$3.98 COP 12.3K

23.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.58 COP 4,878

60.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$2.15 COP 6,624

123.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.86 $4.86

$2.30 COP 7,078

111.30%

Potato (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$2.00 COP 6,169

90.50%

Onion (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$1.51 COP 4,646

168.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.40 $3.40

$1.20 COP 3,701

183.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.28 COP 3,946

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.10 $12.10

$3.84 COP 11.8K

215.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 $15.41

$14.01 COP 43.1K

9.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$1.71 COP 5,256

82.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 $4.03

$2.74 COP 8,440

47.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.31 COP 4,016

87.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.17 COP 6,680

-32.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.31 $41.31

$8.29 COP 25.5K

398.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.36 COP 4,172

-20.59%

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

$40.4K $40.4K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

47.09%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-24.67%

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

$318 $318

$169 COP 519.2K

88.50%

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

$28.22 $28.22

$13.57 COP 41.8K

107.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.4 $69.4

$28.32 COP 87.2K

145.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$10.46 $10.46

$6.65 COP 20.5K

57.29%

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

$828 $828

$803 COP 2.5M

3.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,629 $6,629

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-27.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 $55.3

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-36.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.6 $61.6

$59.4 COP 182.7K

3.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 $107

$139 COP 427.5K

-23.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$102 COP 314.0K

10.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

10.94

-40.13%

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

Last update for Dorado: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $85.0 in Dorado vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $413 vs $300 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

Dorado is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,936 in Dorado and $2,462 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.

Childcare runs $828 in Dorado versus $803 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Dorado – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,290 in Dorado versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dorado but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Dorado the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Dorado gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.