Cost of Living Comparison Between Duma and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Duma and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $650 in Duma versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,027 in Duma versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,404 in Duma versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Duma costs roughly 61% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Duma is 52% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.11 SYP 1,228

$8.02 COP 25.0K

26.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.95 SYP 5,461

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-6.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.82 SYP 829

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-31.04%

Cappuccino

$3.63 SYP 441

$3.13 COP 9,767

15.97%

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

$2.28 SYP 277

$1.91 COP 5,954

19.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 SYP 103

$1.51 COP 4,712

-44.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 SYP 229

$3.12 COP 9,747

-39.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 SYP 362

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-48.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 SYP 129

$1.44 COP 4,509

-26.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 SYP 50.2

$2.49 COP 7,759

-83.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 SYP 200

$1.77 COP 5,535

-7.34%

Eggs

$1.57 SYP 191

$2.96 COP 9,235

-46.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.98 SYP 483

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-60.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 SYP 684

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-44.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.62 SYP 1,655

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-4.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 SYP 130

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-74.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 SYP 171

$1.61 COP 5,019

-12.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 SYP 139

$2.25 COP 7,007

-48.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 SYP 128

$2.25 COP 7,028

-53.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 SYP 95.8

$2.04 COP 6,375

-61.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 SYP 96.6

$1.54 COP 4,790

-48.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 SYP 53.4

$1.17 COP 3,651

-62.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 SYP 80.2

$1.31 COP 4,077

-49.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 SYP 341

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-28.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 SYP 742

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-56.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 SYP 133

$1.74 COP 5,439

-37.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 SYP 344

$2.87 COP 8,956

-1.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 SYP 123

$1.31 COP 4,084

-22.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 SYP 182

$2.19 COP 6,825

-31.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.82 SYP 950

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-10.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.67 SYP 446

$1.37 COP 4,260

167.88%

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

$15.1K SYP 1.8M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

-45.74%

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

$19.0K SYP 2.3M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-46.82%

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

$141 SYP 17.1K

$177 COP 553.2K

-20.50%

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

$9.38 SYP 1,139

$13.88 COP 43.3K

-32.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.81 SYP 5,566

$29.72 COP 92.8K

54.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 SYP 664

$6.65 COP 20.7K

-17.89%

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

$65.5 SYP 7,959

$813 COP 2.5M

-91.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,790 SYP 217.5K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-80.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.12 SYP 3,538

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-67.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 SYP 4,891

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-31.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.6 SYP 7,238

$138 COP 431.2K

-56.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 SYP 6,949

$102 COP 318.7K

-43.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.25

10.94

30.26%

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

Last update for Duma: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $45.00 in Duma vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $169 vs $305 per month, with Duma cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Duma vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Duma wins on cost – living expenses run 159% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Duma the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $975 in Duma 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 80% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $650 per month in Duma versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 159% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $650 in Duma versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Duma but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Duma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Duma delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $650 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Duma hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Duma 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 Duma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 159% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.