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: $2,528 in Douglas versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,890 in Douglas versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,251 in Douglas versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Douglas is roughly 149% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Douglas is 88% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.52 IMP 22.02

$5.95 COP 20.8K

396.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 IMP 80.3

$33.33 COP 116.3K

222.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.00 IMP 7.46

$7.23 COP 25.2K

38.31%

Cappuccino

$5.50 IMP 4.10

$1.63 COP 5,687

237.42%

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

$2.85 IMP 2.13

$1.09 COP 3,821

161.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 IMP 1.47

$0.73 COP 2,548

169.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.79 IMP 5.07

$1.74 COP 6,065

290.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.17 IMP 4.60

$3.23 COP 11.3K

91.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 IMP 1.46

$1.05 COP 3,662

86.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 IMP 1.51

$1.29 COP 4,515

57.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 IMP 1.48

$1.32 COP 4,617

50.76%

Eggs

$4.19 IMP 3.13

$2.27 COP 7,927

84.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.68 IMP 4.99

$4.35 COP 15.2K

53.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.27 IMP 6.17

$5.88 COP 20.5K

40.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.81 IMP 8.81

$8.61 COP 30.0K

37.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 IMP 1.75

$2.25 COP 7,844

4.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 IMP 1.33

$1.07 COP 3,733

66.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 IMP 1.95

$1.52 COP 5,322

71.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 IMP 2.21

$1.42 COP 4,964

109.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 IMP 1.79

$1.17 COP 4,084

105.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 IMP 1.85

$1.17 COP 4,077

111.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 IMP 1.22

$0.89 COP 3,096

84.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 IMP 1.49

$0.90 COP 3,146

122.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.74 IMP 16.96

$2.25 COP 7,837

910.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.91 IMP 8.88

$11.04 COP 38.5K

7.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.13 IMP 3.08

$1.14 COP 3,977

262.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 IMP 2.74

$2.38 COP 8,301

54.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 IMP 2.27

$0.84 COP 2,916

261.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.1 IMP 57.5

$41.95 COP 146.4K

83.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.29 IMP 3.95

$1.41 COP 4,912

275.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 IMP 1.10

$1.90 COP 6,634

-22.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$82.7 IMP 61.7

$7.75 COP 27.0K

966.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 IMP 1.62

$1.01 COP 3,509

114.85%

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

$34.9K IMP 26.0K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

98.62%

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

$34.9K IMP 26.0K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

31.79%

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

$308 IMP 230

$83.7 COP 292.1K

267.94%

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

$39.14 IMP 29.20

$9.45 COP 33.0K

314.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 IMP 53.1

$24.11 COP 84.1K

195.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.7 IMP 46.76

$25.31 COP 88.3K

147.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.00 IMP 14.92

$19.14 COP 66.8K

4.49%

Cinema Ticket

$13.73 IMP 10.25

$4.10 COP 14.3K

234.88%

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

$1,297 IMP 968

$312 COP 1.1M

315.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.4K IMP 24.1K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

439.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.3 IMP 71.8

$58.0 COP 202.6K

65.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.94 IMP 30.54

$32.56 COP 113.6K

25.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 IMP 90.5

$99.6 COP 347.7K

21.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.3 IMP 58.4

$109 COP 378.8K

-27.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 IMP 927

$482 COP 1.7M

157.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 IMP 831

$379 COP 1.3M

193.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,131 IMP 1,589

$837 COP 2.9M

154.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,901 IMP 1,418

$723 COP 2.5M

162.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,042 IMP 3,015

$2,840 COP 9.9M

42.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,090 IMP 2,305

$1,223 COP 4.3M

152.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,029 IMP 2,259

$541 COP 1.9M

459.96%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,243 in Douglas and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Douglas pays 460% 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 $304 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

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 149% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Douglas pays 460% more on average, 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: $1,243 in Douglas versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,528 per month in Douglas versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 149% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 84% less than in Douglas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $2,528 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 149% less than in Douglas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.