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: $1,332 in Duitama versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,039 in Duitama versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,746 in Duitama versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Duitama costs roughly 21% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Duitama is 3% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.66 COP 17.7K

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-29.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.12 COP 100.2K

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-32.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.49 COP 29.6K

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-4.04%

Cappuccino

$2.16 COP 6,753

$3.13 COP 9,767

-30.99%

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

$1.43 COP 4,476

$1.91 COP 5,954

-25.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 COP 3,327

$1.51 COP 4,712

-29.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 5,200

$3.12 COP 9,747

-46.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 COP 7,918

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-55.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 COP 4,546

$1.44 COP 4,509

1.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 COP 4,603

$2.49 COP 7,759

-40.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 COP 5,288

$1.77 COP 5,535

-4.52%

Eggs

$3.14 COP 9,802

$2.96 COP 9,235

6.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 COP 24.9K

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-20.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.54 COP 45.4K

$10.12 COP 31.6K

43.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.63 COP 55.0K

$14.30 COP 44.6K

23.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 COP 11.0K

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-14.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 COP 4,494

$1.61 COP 5,019

-10.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 COP 6,841

$2.25 COP 7,007

-2.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 COP 5,874

$2.25 COP 7,028

-16.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 COP 4,508

$2.04 COP 6,375

-29.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,753

$1.54 COP 4,790

-1.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 COP 3,123

$1.17 COP 3,651

-14.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 COP 2,960

$1.31 COP 4,077

-27.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 COP 13.8K

$3.90 COP 12.2K

13.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.95 COP 40.4K

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-7.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 COP 4,516

$1.74 COP 5,439

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 COP 5,219

$2.87 COP 8,956

-41.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 COP 3,229

$1.22 COP 3,792

-15.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 COP 9,075

$1.31 COP 4,084

122.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 COP 6,413

$2.19 COP 6,825

-5.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.17 COP 25.5K

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-6.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 COP 4,181

$1.37 COP 4,260

-2.19%

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

$27.5K COP 85.9M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

-1.15%

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

$34.2K COP 106.6M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-4.50%

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

$175 COP 545.9K

$177 COP 553.2K

-1.33%

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

$10.85 COP 33.9K

$13.88 COP 43.3K

-21.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.55 COP 82.8K

$29.72 COP 92.8K

-10.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.53 COP 104.6K

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-25.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 COP 20.6K

$6.65 COP 20.7K

-0.75%

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

$676 COP 2.1M

$813 COP 2.5M

-16.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,088 COP 19.0M

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-33.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 COP 169.3K

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-39.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.3 COP 178.7K

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-2.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 COP 382.9K

$138 COP 431.2K

-11.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.6 COP 307.6K

$102 COP 318.7K

-3.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$765 COP 2.4M

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-27.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 COP 1.5M

$663 COP 2.1M

-27.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 COP 3.7M

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-36.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 COP 3.2M

$1,027 COP 3.2M

0.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,784 COP 5.6M

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-57.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,629 COP 5.1M

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-2.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.4

10.94

13.35%

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

Last update for Duitama: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $765 in Duitama and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Duitama vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $305 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 26% 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 $1,998 in Duitama and $2,521 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: $765 in Duitama versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,332 per month in Duitama versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,332 in Duitama versus $1,681 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 $1,332 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 26% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.