Cost of Living Comparison Between Douglas and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Douglas and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,752 in Douglas versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,183 in Douglas versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,614 in Douglas versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Douglas is roughly 64% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Douglas 101% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.84 IMP 21.40

$8.02 COP 25.0K

259.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 IMP 91.4

$47.87 COP 149.4K

157.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.09 IMP 8.97

$9.89 COP 30.8K

22.24%

Cappuccino

$5.18 IMP 3.84

$3.13 COP 9,767

65.50%

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

$2.84 IMP 2.11

$1.91 COP 5,954

48.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 IMP 1.59

$1.51 COP 4,712

41.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.74 IMP 5.00

$3.12 COP 9,747

116.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.02 IMP 4.47

$5.75 COP 17.9K

4.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.61 IMP 1.93

$1.44 COP 4,509

81.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 IMP 2.04

$2.49 COP 7,759

10.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 IMP 1.60

$1.77 COP 5,535

22.03%

Eggs

$5.52 IMP 4.10

$2.96 COP 9,235

86.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.38 IMP 6.22

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-16.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.99 IMP 6.67

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-11.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.09 IMP 9.71

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-8.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 IMP 2.23

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-27.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 IMP 1.34

$1.61 COP 5,019

12.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 IMP 2.83

$2.25 COP 7,007

69.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 IMP 2.68

$2.25 COP 7,028

60.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.12 IMP 2.31

$2.04 COP 6,375

52.94%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 IMP 2.28

$1.54 COP 4,790

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 IMP 1.61

$1.17 COP 3,651

86.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 IMP 2.03

$1.31 COP 4,077

109.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.18 IMP 17.20

$3.90 COP 12.2K

494.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.25 IMP 9.09

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-12.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.47 IMP 3.31

$1.74 COP 5,439

156.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 IMP 3.32

$2.87 COP 8,956

55.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 IMP 2.17

$1.22 COP 3,792

140.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.3 IMP 72.9

$80.5 COP 251.1K

22.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 IMP 3.92

$1.31 COP 4,084

303.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 IMP 1.12

$2.19 COP 6,825

-31.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.1 IMP 59.4

$8.71 COP 27.2K

819.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 IMP 1.46

$1.37 COP 4,260

43.80%

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

$45.7K IMP 33.9K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

64.21%

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

$44.9K IMP 33.3K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

25.56%

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

$357 IMP 265

$177 COP 553.2K

101.36%

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

$63.0 IMP 46.76

$13.88 COP 43.3K

354.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.6 IMP 56.1

$29.72 COP 92.8K

154.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.6 IMP 48.70

$44.88 COP 140.1K

46.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.92 IMP 14.78

$17.12 COP 53.4K

16.36%

Cinema Ticket

$16.24 IMP 12.05

$6.65 COP 20.7K

144.21%

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

$1,798 IMP 1,334

$813 COP 2.5M

121.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$53.0K IMP 39.3K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

476.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 IMP 74.4

$89.5 COP 279.3K

12.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.53 IMP 34.53

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-21.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 IMP 86.1

$138 COP 431.2K

-16.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 IMP 53.6

$102 COP 318.7K

-29.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 IMP 940

$1,062 COP 3.3M

19.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 IMP 820

$663 COP 2.1M

66.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,349 IMP 1,743

$1,888 COP 5.9M

24.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,068 IMP 1,535

$1,027 COP 3.2M

101.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,063 IMP 3,757

$4,183 COP 13.1M

21.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,958 IMP 2,937

$1,675 COP 5.2M

136.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,057 IMP 2,269

$678 COP 2.1M

351.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.76

10.94

-56.49%

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

Last update for Douglas: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,267 in Douglas and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Douglas pays 351% 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: $123 in Douglas vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $366 vs $305 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

Douglas vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 64% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 351% higher in Douglas, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,267 in Douglas versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,752 per month in Douglas versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 22% less than in Douglas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,752 in Douglas, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Douglas. 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 Douglas, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Douglas 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.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Douglas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.