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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,179 in Dabas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,736 in Dabas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,294 in Dabas.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 15% less than in Dabas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Dabas 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$8.80 Ft 2,773

-32.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$33.90 Ft 10.7K

-2.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$8.68 Ft 2,735

-14.40%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.40 Ft 440

17.86%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.15 Ft 361

-4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.45 Ft 141

73.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.54 Ft 484

11.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$1.45 Ft 458

119.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.07 Ft 337

2.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.40 Ft 442

-10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.88 Ft 591

-26.60%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.44 Ft 769

-10.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$9.39 Ft 2,958

-52.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.15 Ft 1,937

-5.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$14.43 Ft 4,547

-37.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.01 Ft 633

15.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.08 Ft 655

-49.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.20 Ft 692

-30.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$3.56 Ft 1,120

-61.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.22 Ft 384

-7.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.23 Ft 388

-4.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.77 Ft 559

-49.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.54 Ft 169

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$7.30 Ft 2,300

-69.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$4.76 Ft 1,501

154.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.22 Ft 386

-2.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.03 Ft 640

22.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$1.13 Ft 356

-24.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$25.17 Ft 7,930

65.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$3.14 Ft 990

-54.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.06 Ft 335

83.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$22.84 Ft 7,196

-65.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.40 Ft 441

-29.29%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$27.3K Ft 8.6M

-35.42%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$31.9K Ft 10.0M

-15.87%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$164 Ft 51.5K

-49.26%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$27.10 Ft 8,539

-64.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$19.77 Ft 6,230

18.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$45.94 Ft 14.5K

-45.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$16.58 Ft 5,225

15.20%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$7.70 Ft 2,426

-48.70%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$405 Ft 127.5K

-21.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$7,264 Ft 2.3M

-17.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$92.5 Ft 29.1K

-35.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$44.93 Ft 14.2K

-29.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$93.1 Ft 29.3K

9.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$101 Ft 31.7K

6.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$439 Ft 138.2K

8.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$344 Ft 108.4K

8.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$638 Ft 201.2K

32.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$525 Ft 165.3K

37.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$3,519 Ft 1.1M

-7.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$2,383 Ft 750.8K

-39.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Dabas: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $439 in Dabas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $34.00 in Dabas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $233 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 18% 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 $1,504 in Medellin and $1,768 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: $475 in Medellin versus $439 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 65% less than in Dabas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $405 in Dabas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,179 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 $1,003 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 18% less than in Dabas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.