Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Daegu Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Daegu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,529 in Daegu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,380 in Daegu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $3,231 in Daegu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 10% more than Daegu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Daegu sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Daegu by 12%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$9.10 ₩12.6K

-11.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$37.40 ₩51.6K

27.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$5.58 ₩7,702

77.24%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$3.94 ₩5,443

-20.56%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$1.54 ₩2,131

24.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.89 ₩1,226

69.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$3.63 ₩5,015

-14.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$5.39 ₩7,442

6.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$2.38 ₩3,287

-39.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$4.27 ₩5,893

-41.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$2.76 ₩3,804

-35.87%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.71 ₩3,742

9.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$10.13 ₩14.0K

-0.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$7.10 ₩9,796

42.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$20.59 ₩28.4K

-30.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$6.76 ₩9,324

-38.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$2.71 ₩3,738

-40.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$5.60 ₩7,731

-59.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$5.86 ₩8,081

-61.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$2.71 ₩3,738

-24.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$2.06 ₩2,846

-25.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$4.41 ₩6,090

-73.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$1.32 ₩1,821

-0.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$3.01 ₩4,151

29.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$15.00 ₩20.7K

-6.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$2.11 ₩2,914

-17.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.42 ₩3,346

18.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$1.10 ₩1,514

10.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$73.1 ₩100.9K

10.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$3.18 ₩4,387

-58.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.61 ₩838

259.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$8.24 ₩11.4K

5.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.34 ₩1,848

2.24%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$27.6K ₩38.0M

1.02%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$41.3K ₩57.0M

-13.45%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$269 ₩370.8K

-34.00%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$49.74 ₩68.7K

-72.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$46.36 ₩64.0K

-35.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$50.8 ₩70.0K

-11.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$12.05 ₩16.6K

42.07%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$11.18 ₩15.4K

-40.52%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$512 ₩707.1K

58.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$28.1K ₩38.8M

-67.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$54.3 ₩75.0K

64.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$50.9 ₩70.2K

15.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$94.3 ₩130.2K

46.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$168 ₩232.0K

-39.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$413 ₩570.0K

157.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$266 ₩366.8K

149.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$1,041 ₩1.4M

81.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$609 ₩840.8K

68.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$6,956 ₩9.6M

-39.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$5,427 ₩7.5M

-69.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$2,448 ₩3.4M

-72.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.07

115.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Daegu: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $413 in Daegu. 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 261% higher in Daegu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $37.00 in Daegu. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $409 in Daegu – 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 Daegu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $1,529 in Daegu – roughly 10% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $2,294 in Daegu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $37.00 in Daegu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $1,529 in Daegu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Daegu, where all-in costs run around $1,529, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Daegu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,529 in Daegu to $1,681 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 Daegu. 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.