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 $1,834 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,561 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,287 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Dubuque, IA costs about 83% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Dubuque, IA sits 38% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.19 $15.19

$5.91 COP 18.6K

157.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.38 $49.38

$32.96 COP 103.8K

49.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.12 $10.12

$7.43 COP 23.4K

36.20%

Cappuccino

$4.68 $4.68

$1.65 COP 5,207

183.64%

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

$2.02 $2.02

$1.10 COP 3,468

83.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.78 COP 2,458

30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.72 COP 5,412

76.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 $4.60

$3.18 COP 10.0K

44.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.10 COP 3,474

-23.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.26 COP 3,962

80.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.19 $3.19

$1.38 COP 4,349

131.16%

Eggs

$2.86 $2.86

$2.18 COP 6,858

31.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 $9.81

$4.49 COP 14.1K

118.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.99 $9.99

$5.79 COP 18.2K

72.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.34 $14.34

$8.97 COP 28.2K

59.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$2.32 COP 7,308

59.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.06 COP 3,352

10.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$1.52 COP 4,774

146.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$1.36 COP 4,270

145.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.13 COP 3,552

59.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.17 COP 3,689

80.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 $1.89

$0.90 COP 2,838

110.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.90 COP 2,823

127.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.74 $8.74

$2.23 COP 7,034

291.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.74 $13.74

$12.12 COP 38.2K

13.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.19 COP 3,743

59.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.48 COP 7,815

13.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 $1.40

$0.85 COP 2,687

64.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 $45.44

$41.62 COP 131.0K

9.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.42 COP 4,459

102.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.95 COP 6,141

-18.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.72 $20.72

$7.89 COP 24.8K

162.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.99 COP 3,118

-18.18%

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

$29.4K $29.4K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

67.12%

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

$22.6K $22.6K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-15.63%

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

$182 $182

$83.0 COP 261.4K

118.77%

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

$48.81 $48.81

$9.70 COP 30.5K

403.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.6 $64.6

$23.52 COP 74.1K

174.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.39 $37.39

$25.26 COP 79.5K

48.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$8.44 $8.44

$3.95 COP 12.4K

113.67%

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

$804 $804

$316 COP 994.2K

154.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K $24.3K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

306.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.69 $42.69

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-28.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.53 $34.53

$31.82 COP 100.2K

8.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 $80.0

$102 COP 320.1K

-21.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 $91.1

$107 COP 338.3K

-15.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$962 $962

$475 COP 1.5M

102.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 $751

$374 COP 1.2M

100.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,383 $1,383

$849 COP 2.7M

62.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 $965

$719 COP 2.3M

34.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,711 $1,711

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-47.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,746 $1,746

$1,441 COP 4.5M

21.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,837 $3,837

$624 COP 2.0M

514.49%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $962 in Dubuque, IA versus $475 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 514% 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 $49.00 in Dubuque, IA versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $319 vs $193 – 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 83% 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 $2,751 per month in Dubuque, IA and $1,504 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 9% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $804 per month in Dubuque, IA and $316 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 $1,003, than in Dubuque, IA at $1,834. 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 $1,003 versus $1,834 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.