Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin, CA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin, CA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,908 in Dublin, CA versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,421 in Dublin, CA versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,933 in Dublin, CA versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Dublin, CA is roughly 133% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dublin, CA 186% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.45 $20.45

$8.02 COP 25.4K

154.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.1 $64.1

$47.87 COP 152.0K

33.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.80 $10.80

$9.89 COP 31.4K

9.20%

Cappuccino

$5.21 $5.21

$3.13 COP 9,937

66.45%

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

$2.81 $2.81

$1.91 COP 6,058

47.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.51 COP 4,794

56.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$3.12 COP 9,917

120.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 $6.86

$5.75 COP 18.3K

19.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.44 COP 4,587

18.75%

White Bread (500g)

$4.35 $4.35

$2.49 COP 7,894

74.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$1.77 COP 5,631

129.94%

Eggs

$6.00 $6.00

$2.96 COP 9,396

102.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.44 $6.44

$10.07 COP 32.0K

-36.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.27 $14.27

$10.12 COP 32.1K

41.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.63 $21.63

$14.30 COP 45.4K

51.26%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.14 COP 13.1K

24.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.61 COP 5,106

21.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.41 $5.41

$2.25 COP 7,129

140.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.25 COP 7,150

93.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.04 COP 6,486

77.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.54 COP 4,873

44.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.17 COP 3,715

67.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.31 COP 4,148

87.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.50 $11.50

$3.90 COP 12.4K

194.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.33 $15.33

$14.01 COP 44.5K

9.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.74 COP 5,534

44.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.87 COP 9,112

18.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.22 COP 3,858

146.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.3 $89.3

$80.5 COP 255.5K

10.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 $3.55

$1.31 COP 4,155

170.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.19 COP 6,944

39.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.07 $30.07

$8.71 COP 27.7K

245.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.37 COP 4,334

-1.46%

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

$37.6K $37.6K

$27.8K COP 88.4M

35.17%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-26.17%

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

$121 $121

$177 COP 562.9K

-32.00%

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

$47.31 $47.31

$13.88 COP 44.1K

240.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.0 $82.0

$29.72 COP 94.4K

175.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.28 $35.28

$44.88 COP 142.5K

-21.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.38 $34.38

$17.12 COP 54.4K

100.82%

Cinema Ticket

$15.09 $15.09

$6.65 COP 21.1K

126.92%

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

$1,855 $1,855

$813 COP 2.6M

128.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.1K $40.1K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

336.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 $59.4

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-33.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.7 $51.7

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-12.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 $80.7

$138 COP 438.8K

-41.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$102 COP 324.2K

17.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,821 $2,821

$1,062 COP 3.4M

165.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,487 $2,487

$663 COP 2.1M

275.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,572 $4,572

$1,888 COP 6.0M

142.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,043 $4,043

$1,027 COP 3.3M

293.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K $12.8K

$4,183 COP 13.3M

205.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.6K $10.6K

$1,675 COP 5.3M

530.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,598 $5,598

$678 COP 2.2M

725.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

10.94

-43.60%

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

Last update for Dublin, CA: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,821 in Dublin, CA and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dublin, CA pays 726% 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: $64.0 in Dublin, CA vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $440 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

Dublin, CA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 133% lower than in Dublin, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 726% higher in Dublin, CA, 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: $2,821 in Dublin, CA versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Dublin, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $64.0 in Dublin, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $3,908 in Dublin, CA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Dublin, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,681 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 133% less than in Dublin, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.