Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dabas Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dabas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,182 in Dabas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,726 in Dabas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $2,269 in Dabas.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 13% less than in Dabas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Dabas 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$8.60 Ft 2,683

-31.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$35.09 Ft 10.9K

-6.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.60 Ft 2,683

-16.28%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.47 Ft 459

15.65%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.11 Ft 345

-0.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.45 Ft 140

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.53 Ft 478

9.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.40 Ft 436

121.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.11 Ft 345

-4.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.41 Ft 440

-11.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.84 Ft 575

-24.46%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.44 Ft 762

-7.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$9.11 Ft 2,844

-52.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.83 Ft 1,819

0.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$14.11 Ft 4,402

-37.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.02 Ft 632

10.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.02 Ft 630

-46.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.10 Ft 654

-27.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$3.60 Ft 1,124

-61.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.22 Ft 381

-7.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.24 Ft 386

-9.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.78 Ft 555

-52.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.58 Ft 182

56.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$7.41 Ft 2,311

-68.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$4.92 Ft 1,535

126.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.22 Ft 381

-2.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.04 Ft 635

16.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$1.16 Ft 362

-31.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$25.24 Ft 7,875

62.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$3.24 Ft 1,012

-55.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.07 Ft 333

78.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$22.76 Ft 7,100

-64.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.45 Ft 453

-35.17%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$27.2K Ft 8.5M

-34.23%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$31.3K Ft 9.8M

-14.28%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$165 Ft 51.6K

-49.24%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$27.51 Ft 8,583

-65.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$19.74 Ft 6,159

22.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$46.08 Ft 14.4K

-43.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$16.49 Ft 5,146

15.46%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$7.68 Ft 2,397

-48.96%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$401 Ft 125.2K

-23.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$7,125 Ft 2.2M

-16.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$90.6 Ft 28.3K

-36.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$44.20 Ft 13.8K

-28.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$92.3 Ft 28.8K

8.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$103 Ft 32.0K

4.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$448 Ft 139.9K

8.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$339 Ft 105.6K

8.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$643 Ft 200.7K

28.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$522 Ft 163.0K

37.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,999 Ft 935.7K

-2.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$2,142 Ft 668.4K

-34.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

67.88%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Dabas: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $448 in Dabas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $35.00 in Dabas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $230 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

Medellin vs Dabas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Dabas. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $1,773 in Dabas 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $448 in Dabas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 63% less than in Dabas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $401 in Dabas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,182 in Dabas, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Dabas. 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 $1,034 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Dabas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.