Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Da Nang Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Da Nang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $720 in Da Nang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,104 in Da Nang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,488 in Da Nang, rent included.

Medellin costs about 41% more than Da Nang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Da Nang are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Da Nang 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$1.97 ₫51.8K

204.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$18.92 ₫497.2K

73.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$4.60 ₫120.8K

54.13%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$1.63 ₫42.9K

4.91%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$0.50 ₫13.1K

120.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$0.29 ₫7,495

168.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$1.02 ₫26.9K

64.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$1.60 ₫42.0K

91.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$1.43 ₫37.5K

-23.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$1.02 ₫26.9K

23.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$1.15 ₫30.3K

20.00%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$1.42 ₫37.4K

54.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$12.25 ₫321.8K

-64.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$3.63 ₫95.5K

55.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$10.13 ₫266.3K

-12.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$2.75 ₫72.2K

-14.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$1.00 ₫26.2K

6.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$1.09 ₫28.6K

37.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$1.07 ₫28.1K

28.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$1.13 ₫29.8K

1.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$1.15 ₫30.2K

0.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$1.04 ₫27.4K

-14.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.48 ₫12.6K

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$1.36 ₫35.7K

67.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$7.71 ₫202.5K

38.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$0.86 ₫22.7K

39.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$1.66 ₫43.7K

48.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$0.32 ₫8,325

168.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$3.92 ₫103.0K

956.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$0.90 ₫23.6K

63.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$0.69 ₫18.0K

184.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$11.67 ₫306.7K

-33.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$0.89 ₫23.4K

6.74%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$26.8K ₫705.1M

-32.43%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$28.1K ₫738.4M

-5.75%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$74.3 ₫2.0M

10.68%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$5.71 ₫150.1K

66.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$8.07 ₫212.1K

200.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$20.37 ₫535.3K

27.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$7.65 ₫201.0K

148.37%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.11 ₫81.6K

26.37%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$156 ₫4.1M

98.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$12.7K ₫333.9M

-53.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$38.62 ₫1.0M

51.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$26.00 ₫683.1K

24.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$52.7 ₫1.4M

94.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$75.8 ₫2.0M

43.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$360 ₫9.5M

32.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$249 ₫6.5M

52.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$727 ₫19.1M

15.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$459 ₫12.0M

57.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$3,870 ₫101.7M

-27.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,283 ₫33.7M

-5.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$353 ₫9.3M

44.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.67

25.87%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Da Nang: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $360 in Da Nang. 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 45% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Da Nang. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $188 in Da Nang – 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

Medellin vs Da Nang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,013 in Medellin, $720 in Da Nang – roughly 41% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,080 in Da Nang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 0% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $19.00 in Da Nang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Da Nang, where all-in costs run around $720, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Da Nang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Da Nang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $720 in Da Nang to $1,013 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Da Nang. 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.