Cost of Living Comparison Between Durham, NC and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Durham, NC and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,544 in Durham, NC versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,720 in Durham, NC versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,895 in Durham, NC versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Durham, NC is roughly 151% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Durham, NC is 90% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.88 $14.88

$5.99 COP 21.4K

148.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.0 $69.0

$32.86 COP 117.2K

110.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.88 $9.88

$7.09 COP 25.3K

39.35%

Cappuccino

$4.58 $4.58

$1.71 COP 6,105

167.84%

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

$2.13 $2.13

$1.10 COP 3,918

93.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$0.78 COP 2,776

132.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.91 $4.91

$1.68 COP 5,987

192.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.69 $6.69

$3.07 COP 10.9K

117.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.09 COP 3,899

-20.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.74 $3.74

$1.26 COP 4,500

196.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$1.38 COP 4,914

160.87%

Eggs

$4.66 $4.66

$2.19 COP 7,813

112.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.07 $9.07

$4.40 COP 15.7K

106.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.29 $12.29

$5.63 COP 20.1K

118.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 $15.92

$8.89 COP 31.7K

79.08%

Apples (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$2.34 COP 8,334

138.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.06 COP 3,771

16.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$1.50 COP 5,365

152.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 $3.54

$1.38 COP 4,915

156.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.15 COP 4,104

118.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.16 COP 4,148

132.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.89 COP 3,176

123.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.84 COP 2,992

135.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.86 $9.86

$2.28 COP 8,131

332.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.75 $14.75

$10.64 COP 37.9K

38.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.20 COP 4,276

48.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 $4.23

$2.47 COP 8,809

71.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.86 COP 3,051

130.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.75 $24.75

$41.40 COP 147.6K

-40.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.47 COP 5,255

36.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.96 COP 6,997

-18.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.39 $22.39

$7.74 COP 27.6K

189.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.95 COP 3,403

-8.42%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

54.10%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-3.81%

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

$157 $157

$82.3 COP 293.2K

90.53%

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

$53.0 $53.0

$9.50 COP 33.9K

457.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.7 $74.7

$24.23 COP 86.4K

208.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.40 $39.40

$25.89 COP 92.3K

52.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$12.11 $12.11

$3.93 COP 14.0K

208.14%

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

$1,269 $1,269

$309 COP 1.1M

310.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

421.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.1 $52.1

$58.7 COP 209.1K

-11.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.19 $35.19

$32.35 COP 115.3K

8.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 $77.0

$103 COP 365.7K

-25.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$108 COP 386.5K

10.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,841 $1,841

$476 COP 1.7M

286.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 $1,430

$379 COP 1.4M

277.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,534 $2,534

$838 COP 3.0M

202.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,279 $2,279

$724 COP 2.6M

214.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,749 $2,749

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-1.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,718 $2,718

$1,211 COP 4.3M

124.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,478 $4,478

$512 COP 1.8M

774.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

13.43

-51.30%

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

Last update for Durham, NC: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,841 in Durham, NC and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Durham, NC pays 775% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $69.0 in Durham, NC vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $375 vs $188 per month, with Medellin 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

Durham, NC vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 151% lower than in Durham, NC. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Durham, NC pays 775% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,841 in Durham, NC versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 67% less than in Durham, NC. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,269 in Durham, NC versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,544 in Durham, NC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Durham, NC. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,013 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Durham, NC 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 151% less than in Durham, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.