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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,162 in Dabas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,729 in Dabas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $2,296 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 24% lower, Dabas 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$8.85 Ft 2,678

-32.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$35.15 Ft 10.6K

-5.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.84 Ft 2,676

-18.21%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.47 Ft 445

10.88%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.10 Ft 332

-0.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.41 Ft 124

78.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.55 Ft 469

12.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.47 Ft 444

119.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.10 Ft 333

-4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.46 Ft 441

-11.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.89 Ft 571

-30.16%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.51 Ft 759

-9.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$9.39 Ft 2,840

-53.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.00 Ft 1,815

-2.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$14.38 Ft 4,350

-40.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.92 Ft 581

17.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.01 Ft 608

-46.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.20 Ft 666

-30.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$3.63 Ft 1,097

-60.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.26 Ft 382

-7.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.24 Ft 376

-5.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.71 Ft 518

-47.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.54 Ft 163

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$7.07 Ft 2,138

-68.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$4.78 Ft 1,445

130.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.22 Ft 370

-6.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.05 Ft 620

16.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.17 Ft 354

-28.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$25.46 Ft 7,704

64.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$3.20 Ft 967

-55.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.07 Ft 325

77.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$23.30 Ft 7,048

-66.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.48 Ft 448

-31.76%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$27.2K Ft 8.2M

-35.45%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$31.0K Ft 9.4M

-14.63%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$166 Ft 50.3K

-49.64%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$27.94 Ft 8,454

-66.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$19.49 Ft 5,897

23.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$45.84 Ft 13.9K

-44.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$17.01 Ft 5,146

12.52%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$7.70 Ft 2,330

-46.75%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$398 Ft 120.3K

-21.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$7,300 Ft 2.2M

-17.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$92.6 Ft 28.0K

-37.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$44.81 Ft 13.6K

-27.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$94.4 Ft 28.6K

5.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$101 Ft 30.6K

7.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$447 Ft 135.2K

7.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$345 Ft 104.5K

9.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$630 Ft 190.6K

32.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$542 Ft 164.0K

33.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$3,287 Ft 994.4K

-13.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$2,519 Ft 762.1K

-51.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Dabas: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $447 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 $232 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 $1,525 in Medellin and $1,743 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: $482 in Medellin versus $447 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 $312 in Medellin versus $398 in Dabas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,162 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 $1,017 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.