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: $1,468 in Dorado versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,178 in Dorado versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,888 in Dorado versus $2,143 in Medellin.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Dorado is 10% above, Medellin is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.73 $18.73

$5.91 COP 18.9K

216.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.5 $81.5

$32.96 COP 105.2K

147.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.66 $9.66

$7.43 COP 23.7K

30.01%

Cappuccino

$3.67 $3.67

$1.65 COP 5,276

122.42%

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

$1.73 $1.73

$1.10 COP 3,514

57.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 $1.40

$0.78 COP 2,491

79.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.72 COP 5,484

75.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.18 COP 10.1K

42.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.10 COP 3,521

126.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 $3.59

$1.26 COP 4,015

184.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.38 COP 4,407

59.42%

Eggs

$6.07 $6.07

$2.18 COP 6,950

178.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.88 $8.88

$4.49 COP 14.3K

97.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.45 $8.45

$5.79 COP 18.5K

45.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.84 $12.84

$8.97 COP 28.6K

43.14%

Apples (1kg)

$6.02 $6.02

$2.32 COP 7,405

159.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.06 COP 3,397

149.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$1.52 COP 4,838

163.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.97 $3.97

$1.36 COP 4,327

191.91%

Potato (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$1.13 COP 3,599

261.06%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.17 COP 3,738

158.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 $3.08

$0.90 COP 2,876

242.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$0.90 COP 2,861

122.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.85 $11.85

$2.23 COP 7,128

431.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.62 $15.62

$12.12 COP 38.7K

28.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.19 COP 3,793

111.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.48 COP 7,920

26.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.09 $5.09

$1.42 COP 4,518

258.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.95 COP 6,223

-24.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.05 $15.05

$7.89 COP 25.2K

90.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$0.99 COP 3,160

-8.08%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$17.6K COP 56.2M

103.00%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.8K COP 85.5M

0.12%

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

$487 $487

$83.0 COP 264.9K

486.87%

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

$27.90 $27.90

$9.70 COP 30.9K

187.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.2 $68.2

$23.52 COP 75.0K

189.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 $60.1

$25.26 COP 80.6K

137.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 $10.18

$3.95 COP 12.6K

157.72%

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

$302 $302

$316 COP 1.0M

-4.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,980 $4,980

$5,975 COP 19.1M

-16.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.70 $46.70

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-22.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 $56.1

$31.82 COP 101.5K

76.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 $92.5

$102 COP 324.4K

-9.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$107 COP 342.8K

-2.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 $1,299

$475 COP 1.5M

173.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,825 $1,825

$849 COP 2.7M

114.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 $2,026

$719 COP 2.3M

181.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,299 in Dorado and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $81.0 in Dorado vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $388 vs $193 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,202 in Dorado and $1,504 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: $1,299 in Dorado versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $302 in Dorado versus $316 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 $81.0 in Dorado. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,468 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.