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: $2,620 in Durham, NC versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,769 in Durham, NC versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,918 in Durham, NC versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Durham, NC is roughly 154% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Durham, NC is 96% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.82 $14.82

$6.16 COP 20.1K

140.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.9 $70.9

$32.60 COP 106.1K

117.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.12 $10.12

$7.34 COP 23.9K

37.87%

Cappuccino

$4.66 $4.66

$1.72 COP 5,600

170.93%

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

$2.23 $2.23

$1.05 COP 3,420

112.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$0.77 COP 2,515

137.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 $5.03

$1.69 COP 5,488

197.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.32 $6.32

$3.17 COP 10.3K

99.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.05 COP 3,423

-16.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.86 $3.86

$1.30 COP 4,236

196.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.40 COP 4,544

167.86%

Eggs

$4.50 $4.50

$2.16 COP 7,047

108.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 $9.02

$4.39 COP 14.3K

105.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.57 $12.57

$5.88 COP 19.1K

113.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.51 $15.51

$8.64 COP 28.1K

79.51%

Apples (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$2.28 COP 7,426

152.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.11 COP 3,604

6.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$1.53 COP 4,983

154.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$1.35 COP 4,410

153.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.13 COP 3,674

123.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.13 COP 3,692

138.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.85 COP 2,753

131.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.91 COP 2,975

116.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$2.34 COP 7,630

322.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.16 $15.16

$12.37 COP 40.3K

22.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.20 COP 3,909

41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$2.49 COP 8,104

70.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.84 COP 2,728

132.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.19 $25.19

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-37.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.42 COP 4,623

42.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.92 COP 6,235

-18.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.40 $22.40

$7.66 COP 24.9K

192.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.99 COP 3,223

-18.18%

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

$28.1K $28.1K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

55.79%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-2.19%

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

$162 $162

$80.8 COP 263.1K

100.00%

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

$54.4 $54.4

$9.95 COP 32.4K

446.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.8 $75.8

$24.18 COP 78.7K

213.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.09 $40.09

$25.08 COP 81.7K

59.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 $12.04

$3.98 COP 13.0K

202.51%

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

$1,267 $1,267

$305 COP 993.5K

315.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.7K $30.7K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

406.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.1 $52.1

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-10.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.92 $34.92

$32.20 COP 104.8K

8.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 $76.6

$101 COP 327.9K

-23.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$108 COP 350.8K

10.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,882 $1,882

$477 COP 1.6M

294.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,453 $1,453

$376 COP 1.2M

286.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,529 $2,529

$845 COP 2.7M

199.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,332 $2,332

$730 COP 2.4M

219.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,683 $2,683

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-16.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,726 $2,726

$1,372 COP 4.5M

98.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,523 $4,523

$617 COP 2.0M

633.35%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,882 in Durham, NC and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Durham, NC pays 633% 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: $71.0 in Durham, NC vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $377 vs $193 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 154% 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.

Average pay runs 633% higher in Durham, NC, 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: $1,882 in Durham, NC versus $477 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 61% less than in Durham, NC. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,267 in Durham, NC versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $2,620 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 $1,031 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 154% less than in Durham, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.