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 $1,815 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,636 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,457 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Dubuque, IA costs about 8% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Dubuque, IA and Medellin sit above the global median – Dubuque, IA by 33%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.20 $16.20

$8.02 COP 25.4K

102.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.1 $50.1

$47.87 COP 152.0K

4.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.88 $9.88

$9.89 COP 31.4K

-0.10%

Cappuccino

$4.79 $4.79

$3.13 COP 9,937

53.04%

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

$2.05 $2.05

$1.91 COP 6,058

7.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.51 COP 4,794

-33.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.12 COP 9,917

-2.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 $4.37

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-24.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$1.44 COP 4,587

-47.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.49 COP 7,894

10.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.59 $3.59

$1.77 COP 5,631

102.82%

Eggs

$2.85 $2.85

$2.96 COP 9,396

-3.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 $9.96

$10.07 COP 32.0K

-1.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.30 $10.30

$10.12 COP 32.1K

1.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.11 $15.11

$14.30 COP 45.4K

5.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$4.14 COP 13.1K

-19.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.61 COP 5,106

-24.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$2.25 COP 7,129

45.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.25 COP 7,150

9.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 $1.42

$2.04 COP 6,486

-30.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.54 COP 4,873

9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.17 COP 3,715

92.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.31 COP 4,148

34.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.04 $9.04

$3.90 COP 12.4K

131.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.43 $13.43

$14.01 COP 44.5K

-4.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.74 COP 5,534

19.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.87 COP 9,112

-3.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.31 COP 4,155

109.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

$2.19 COP 6,944

-25.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.28 $21.28

$8.71 COP 27.7K

144.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.37 COP 4,334

-34.31%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$27.8K COP 88.4M

27.39%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-28.03%

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

$199 $199

$177 COP 562.9K

12.24%

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

$68.9 $68.9

$13.88 COP 44.1K

396.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.2 $66.2

$29.72 COP 94.4K

122.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.15 $38.15

$44.88 COP 142.5K

-15.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$7.88 $7.88

$6.65 COP 21.1K

18.50%

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

$786 $786

$813 COP 2.6M

-3.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.4K $24.4K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

165.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 $55.1

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-38.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.21 $35.21

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-40.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 $85.9

$138 COP 438.8K

-37.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 $89.0

$102 COP 324.2K

-12.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 $1,010

$1,062 COP 3.4M

-4.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$738 $738

$663 COP 2.1M

11.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,463 $1,463

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-22.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,182 $1,182

$1,027 COP 3.3M

15.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,737 $1,737

$4,183 COP 13.3M

-58.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,704 $1,704

$1,675 COP 5.3M

1.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,827 $3,827

$678 COP 2.2M

464.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

10.94

-52.01%

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

Last update for Dubuque, IA: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,010 in Dubuque, IA versus $1,062 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 465% 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 $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $317 vs $305 – 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 8% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,723 per month in Dubuque, IA and $2,521 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,815 in Dubuque, IA and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $786 per month in Dubuque, IA and $813 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Dubuque, IA at $1,815. 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 $1,681 versus $1,815 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.