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: $2,515 in Douglas versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,823 in Douglas versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,131 in Douglas versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Douglas is roughly 151% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Douglas is 89% above, Medellin is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.49 IMP 22.65

$5.91 COP 18.6K

415.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 IMP 80.2

$32.96 COP 103.8K

227.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 IMP 7.58

$7.43 COP 23.4K

37.28%

Cappuccino

$5.32 IMP 3.96

$1.65 COP 5,207

222.42%

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

$2.81 IMP 2.09

$1.10 COP 3,468

155.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 IMP 1.46

$0.78 COP 2,458

151.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.49 IMP 4.82

$1.72 COP 5,412

277.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.23 IMP 4.63

$3.18 COP 10.0K

95.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 IMP 1.47

$1.10 COP 3,474

80.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 IMP 1.49

$1.26 COP 3,962

58.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 IMP 1.50

$1.38 COP 4,349

46.38%

Eggs

$4.35 IMP 3.23

$2.18 COP 6,858

99.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.88 IMP 5.11

$4.49 COP 14.1K

53.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.36 IMP 6.21

$5.79 COP 18.2K

44.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.69 IMP 8.69

$8.97 COP 28.2K

30.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 IMP 1.75

$2.32 COP 7,308

1.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 IMP 1.33

$1.06 COP 3,352

68.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 IMP 1.96

$1.52 COP 4,774

73.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.92 IMP 2.17

$1.36 COP 4,270

114.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 IMP 1.75

$1.13 COP 3,552

108.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 IMP 1.88

$1.17 COP 3,689

116.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 IMP 1.23

$0.90 COP 2,838

84.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 IMP 1.48

$0.90 COP 2,823

122.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.45 IMP 16.68

$2.23 COP 7,034

906.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.95 IMP 8.88

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-1.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.10 IMP 3.04

$1.19 COP 3,743

244.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 IMP 2.77

$2.48 COP 7,815

50.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 IMP 2.27

$0.85 COP 2,687

258.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.1 IMP 56.6

$41.62 COP 131.0K

82.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 IMP 3.79

$1.42 COP 4,459

259.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IMP 1.13

$1.95 COP 6,141

-21.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.1 IMP 59.5

$7.89 COP 24.8K

915.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 IMP 1.59

$0.99 COP 3,118

116.16%

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

$34.7K IMP 25.8K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

97.14%

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

$36.0K IMP 26.7K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

34.17%

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

$302 IMP 224

$83.0 COP 261.4K

263.27%

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

$37.77 IMP 28.06

$9.70 COP 30.5K

289.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.3 IMP 52.2

$23.52 COP 74.1K

198.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.0 IMP 46.83

$25.26 COP 79.5K

149.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.53 IMP 15.25

$19.10 COP 60.1K

7.49%

Cinema Ticket

$13.74 IMP 10.21

$3.95 COP 12.4K

247.85%

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

$1,315 IMP 977

$316 COP 994.2K

316.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K IMP 23.4K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

427.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.3 IMP 70.1

$60.0 COP 188.9K

57.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.69 IMP 30.98

$31.82 COP 100.2K

31.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 IMP 90.9

$102 COP 320.1K

20.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 IMP 58.7

$107 COP 338.3K

-26.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,240 IMP 921

$475 COP 1.5M

161.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,099 IMP 816

$374 COP 1.2M

193.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,152 IMP 1,599

$849 COP 2.7M

153.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,901 IMP 1,412

$719 COP 2.3M

164.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,071 IMP 3,025

$3,265 COP 10.3M

24.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,142 IMP 2,334

$1,441 COP 4.5M

118.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,964 IMP 2,202

$624 COP 2.0M

374.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.66

13.43

-72.75%

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

Last update for Douglas: July 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,240 in Douglas and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Douglas pays 375% 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: $108 in Douglas vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 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

Douglas vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 151% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 375% 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: $1,240 in Douglas versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,515 per month in Douglas versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 151% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 83% less than in Douglas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,515 in Douglas, a $1,500 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 151% less than in Douglas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.