Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dahab Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dahab

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $469 in Dahab, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $743 in Dahab, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,017 in Dahab, rent included.

Medellin costs about 120% more than Dahab, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Dahab are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Dahab 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.58 E£183

72.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$16.09 E£821

102.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.51 E£230

62.75%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.45 E£73.9

18.62%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.29 E£14.79

262.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.10 E£5.10

670.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.16 E£59.0

45.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.92 E£149

8.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.89 E£45.50

17.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.59 E£29.96

120.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.69 E£35.34

102.90%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.40 E£71.4

54.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$3.42 E£175

28.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.15 E£212

41.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.77 E£448

-1.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.42 E£72.4

60.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.54 E£27.58

105.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.43 E£21.96

255.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.37 E£18.87

264.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.37 E£19.02

205.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.40 E£20.51

182.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.22 E£11.21

286.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.20 E£10.40

355.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.92 E£97.8

21.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$6.81 E£348

81.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.34 E£68.6

-10.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.79 E£91.2

39.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.18 E£9.09

366.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.39 E£19.83

264.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.29 E£14.64

562.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$1.94 E£99.0

294.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.33 E£16.92

200.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$35.6K E£1.8M

-49.33%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$32.8K E£1.7M

-18.87%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$11.81 E£603

584.25%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$6.46 E£330

54.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$10.80 E£551

123.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$21.95 E£1,120

14.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.02 E£154

31.79%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$87.3 E£4,458

249.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,830 E£93.4K

231.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$27.77 E£1,418

109.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$48.08 E£2,455

-33.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$110 E£5,598

-8.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$50.3 E£2,568

114.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$189 E£9,647

152.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$98.5 E£5,028

281.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$306 E£15.6K

175.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$180 E£9,185

305.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$141 E£7,197

337.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

16.67

-19.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Dahab: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $189 in Dahab. 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 338% 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 $16.00 in Dahab. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $124 – making Dahab the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Dahab: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 120%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $704 in Dahab. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $469 in Dahab. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $87.3 in Dahab. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dahab, where all-in costs run around $469, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Dahab it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dahab – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Dahab. 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.