Cost of Living Comparison Between Duitama and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Duitama and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $745 in Duitama versus $1,028 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,116 in Duitama versus $1,586 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,486 in Duitama versus $2,144 in Medellin.

Living in Duitama costs roughly 28% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Duitama 44% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.08 COP 10.5K

$6.00 COP 20.6K

-48.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.20 COP 65.8K

$32.84 COP 112.5K

-41.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 COP 23.3K

$7.42 COP 25.4K

-8.22%

Cappuccino

$1.31 COP 4,485

$1.65 COP 5,659

-20.61%

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

$0.72 COP 2,455

$1.07 COP 3,663

-32.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 COP 1,898

$0.76 COP 2,607

-27.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 COP 4,686

$1.72 COP 5,908

-20.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 COP 6,897

$3.20 COP 11.0K

-37.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 COP 4,052

$1.05 COP 3,597

12.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 COP 3,828

$1.31 COP 4,479

-14.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 COP 4,284

$1.34 COP 4,591

-6.72%

Eggs

$2.15 COP 7,382

$2.19 COP 7,521

-1.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.01 COP 13.7K

$4.41 COP 15.1K

-9.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 19.9K

$5.69 COP 19.5K

1.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.53 COP 25.8K

$8.52 COP 29.2K

-11.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 COP 8,579

$2.34 COP 8,023

6.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,013

$1.11 COP 3,804

5.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 COP 3,024

$1.52 COP 5,210

-42.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 COP 3,113

$1.37 COP 4,680

-33.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,057

$1.15 COP 3,950

2.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 COP 3,524

$1.18 COP 4,043

-12.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 COP 3,337

$0.84 COP 2,885

15.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 COP 2,535

$0.86 COP 2,931

-13.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.67 COP 5,716

$2.26 COP 7,753

-26.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.75 COP 30.0K

$11.60 COP 39.8K

-24.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,884

$1.20 COP 4,109

-30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 COP 5,335

$2.48 COP 8,484

-37.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,473

$0.79 COP 2,721

-8.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.68 COP 101.7K

$40.83 COP 139.9K

-27.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 COP 6,048

$1.47 COP 5,023

19.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 COP 5,435

$1.92 COP 6,568

-17.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 COP 20.3K

$7.77 COP 26.6K

-23.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,401

$1.01 COP 3,464

-1.98%

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

$19.5K COP 67.0M

$17.7K COP 60.5M

10.64%

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

$28.3K COP 96.8M

$26.5K COP 90.7M

6.81%

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

$73.1 COP 250.6K

$81.1 COP 277.9K

-9.85%

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

$8.83 COP 30.3K

$9.43 COP 32.3K

-6.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.13 COP 41.6K

$23.86 COP 81.8K

-49.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.48 COP 80.5K

$25.99 COP 89.1K

-9.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

Cinema Ticket

$2.47 COP 8,482

$4.09 COP 14.0K

-39.61%

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

$236 COP 808.6K

$315 COP 1.1M

-24.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,485 COP 8.5M

$6,022 COP 20.6M

-58.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.7 COP 221.8K

$59.7 COP 204.6K

8.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.67 COP 112.0K

$31.97 COP 109.6K

2.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.0 COP 287.8K

$101 COP 346.9K

-17.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.60 COP 132.3K

$105 COP 360.3K

-63.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 COP 966.1K

$485 COP 1.7M

-41.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 COP 810.5K

$365 COP 1.3M

-35.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.5M

$827 COP 2.8M

-13.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 COP 1.3M

$730 COP 2.5M

-47.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,897 COP 6.5M

$2,992 COP 10.3M

-36.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,100 COP 3.8M

$1,314 COP 4.5M

-16.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.25

13.43

13.55%

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

Last update for Duitama: June 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $282 in Duitama and $485 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Duitama vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $171 vs $190 per month, with Duitama 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

Duitama vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Duitama wins on cost – living expenses run 38% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Duitama the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,118 in Duitama and $1,542 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $282 in Duitama versus $485 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $745 per month in Duitama versus $1,028 in Medellin – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Duitama runs roughly 38% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $745 in Duitama versus $1,028 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Duitama but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Duitama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Duitama delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $745 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Duitama hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Duitama 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 Duitama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.