Cost of Living Comparison Between Durango and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Durango and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $701 per month in Durango vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,142 per month in Durango vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,583 per month in Durango vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Durango is about 31% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Durango and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Durango 48% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.96 MX$120

$5.99 COP 21.4K

16.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.88 MX$499

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-12.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.22 MX$177

$7.09 COP 25.3K

44.15%

Cappuccino

$1.88 MX$32.59

$1.71 COP 6,115

9.94%

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

$1.16 MX$20.12

$1.10 COP 3,924

5.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 MX$12.90

$0.78 COP 2,781

-3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.34 MX$23.19

$1.68 COP 5,997

-20.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 MX$46.67

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-12.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 MX$20.24

$1.09 COP 3,906

7.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 MX$40.23

$1.26 COP 4,508

84.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 MX$20.36

$1.38 COP 4,922

-14.49%

Eggs

$2.23 MX$38.54

$2.19 COP 7,827

1.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.71 MX$133

$4.40 COP 15.7K

75.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 MX$112

$5.63 COP 20.1K

14.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.69 MX$150

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-2.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 MX$42.72

$2.34 COP 8,349

5.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MX$24.56

$1.06 COP 3,777

33.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.84

$1.50 COP 5,374

14.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 MX$17.31

$1.38 COP 4,924

-27.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 MX$22.58

$1.15 COP 4,111

13.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 MX$20.39

$1.16 COP 4,155

1.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 MX$13.40

$0.89 COP 3,182

-13.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.12

$0.84 COP 2,997

32.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.67 MX$63.6

$2.28 COP 8,145

60.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.37 MX$248

$10.64 COP 38.0K

35.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 MX$25.64

$1.20 COP 4,284

23.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.20

$2.47 COP 8,824

5.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 MX$10.51

$0.86 COP 3,056

-29.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 MX$19.38

$1.47 COP 5,264

-23.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 MX$27.50

$1.96 COP 7,009

-18.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 MX$134

$7.74 COP 27.6K

0.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$0.95 COP 3,409

37.89%

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

$17.5K MX$303.3K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

-3.30%

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

$22.6K MX$391.3K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-14.59%

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

$32.34 MX$559

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-60.68%

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

$20.62 MX$357

$9.50 COP 33.9K

117.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.43 MX$457

$24.23 COP 86.5K

9.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.70 MX$323

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-27.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.45 MX$163

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-50.26%

Cinema Ticket

$2.60 MX$44.93

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-33.84%

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

$174 MX$3,010

$309 COP 1.1M

-43.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,297 MX$39.7K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-61.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.47 MX$838

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-17.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.95 MX$449

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-19.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.7 MX$1,101

$103 COP 366.4K

-37.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.1 MX$1,368

$108 COP 387.2K

-27.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$287 MX$4,965

$476 COP 1.7M

-39.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 MX$2,327

$379 COP 1.4M

-64.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$499 MX$8,629

$838 COP 3.0M

-40.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 MX$4,625

$724 COP 2.6M

-63.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,959 MX$33.9K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-29.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,085 MX$18.8K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-10.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$557 MX$9,642

$512 COP 1.8M

8.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-10.65%

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

Last update for Durango: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $287 in Durango versus $476 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 9% higher in Durango, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Durango versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $227 in Durango vs $188 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Durango vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $701 in Durango, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 44% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,052 per month in Durango and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Durango, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Durango and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 20% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Durango, where all-in costs run around $701, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Durango it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $701 in Durango to $1,013 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Durango. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.