Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubuque, IA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubuque, IA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,803 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,517 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,232 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Dubuque, IA costs about 74% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Dubuque, IA sits 35% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.45 $15.45

$5.92 COP 21.5K

160.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.4 $50.4

$32.75 COP 119.1K

53.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.98 $9.98

$7.20 COP 26.2K

38.61%

Cappuccino

$4.83 $4.83

$1.70 COP 6,186

184.12%

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

$2.03 $2.03

$1.10 COP 3,996

84.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 $0.94

$0.72 COP 2,625

30.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.67 COP 6,067

82.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 $4.57

$3.10 COP 11.3K

47.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.06 COP 3,837

-22.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.25 COP 4,531

88.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.39 COP 5,060

122.30%

Eggs

$2.88 $2.88

$2.26 COP 8,229

27.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.83 $9.83

$4.33 COP 15.8K

127.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.26 $10.26

$5.84 COP 21.2K

75.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.17 $14.17

$8.83 COP 32.1K

60.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.24 COP 8,159

60.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.08 COP 3,911

4.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$1.53 COP 5,563

142.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$1.37 COP 4,987

149.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.13 COP 4,109

55.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.12 COP 4,067

88.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.85 COP 3,080

129.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.91 COP 3,305

125.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.41 $8.41

$2.33 COP 8,477

260.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.75 $13.75

$11.13 COP 40.5K

23.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.19 COP 4,342

59.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.37 COP 8,617

17.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.35 $1.35

$0.79 COP 2,859

70.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.30 $44.30

$41.13 COP 149.6K

7.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.44 COP 5,223

90.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.91 COP 6,952

-14.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.72 $20.72

$8.02 COP 29.2K

158.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$0.94 COP 3,410

-9.57%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

64.98%

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

$22.5K $22.5K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-16.09%

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

$186 $186

$84.0 COP 305.4K

121.46%

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

$48.00 $48.00

$9.60 COP 34.9K

400.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.9 $62.9

$24.16 COP 87.9K

160.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.10 $37.10

$25.88 COP 94.1K

43.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$8.45 $8.45

$3.92 COP 14.2K

115.56%

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

$801 $801

$306 COP 1.1M

161.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K $24.7K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

317.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.53 $42.53

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-26.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.68 $35.68

$31.82 COP 115.7K

12.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 $81.1

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-18.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 $90.9

$107 COP 389.7K

-15.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$960 $960

$487 COP 1.8M

97.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$744 $744

$368 COP 1.3M

102.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,415 $1,415

$826 COP 3.0M

71.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$979 $979

$716 COP 2.6M

36.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,748 $1,748

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-40.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,694 $1,694

$1,407 COP 5.1M

20.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,541 $4,541

$546 COP 2.0M

732.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.88

13.43

-63.66%

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

Last update for Dubuque, IA: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $960 in Dubuque, IA versus $487 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 732% higher in Dubuque, IA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Dubuque, IA versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $190 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Dubuque, IA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dubuque, IA costs about 74% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,704 per month in Dubuque, IA and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 8% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $801 per month in Dubuque, IA and $306 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Dubuque, IA at $1,803. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dubuque, IA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,034 versus $1,803 in Dubuque, IA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dubuque, IA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.