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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $455 in Dahab, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $741 in Dahab, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,027 in Dahab, rent included.

Medellin costs about 123% more than Dahab, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Dahab are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Dahab 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.52 E£183

70.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$15.71 E£815

109.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.73 E£245

49.89%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.51 E£78.3

13.25%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.29 E£14.97

279.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.12 E£6.29

550.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.21 E£62.7

38.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.89 E£150

6.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.89 E£46.25

22.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.58 E£30.11

117.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$0.71 E£36.72

94.37%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.43 E£74.4

53.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$3.29 E£171

33.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.32 E£224

30.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$8.54 E£443

4.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.42 E£73.5

64.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$0.54 E£27.92

96.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$0.42 E£21.91

257.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.39 E£20.41

253.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.41 E£21.16

180.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.44 E£22.78

163.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.24 E£12.50

270.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.21 E£10.65

300.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$1.93 E£100

18.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$6.67 E£346

59.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.36 E£70.8

-11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.79 E£92.7

37.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.18 E£9.56

377.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.42 E£21.77

250.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.31 E£16.16

532.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$1.97 E£102

292.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.31 E£15.89

206.45%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$34.9K E£1.8M

-48.03%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$33.5K E£1.7M

-20.98%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$11.95 E£620

588.28%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$6.54 E£339

45.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$10.64 E£552

127.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$22.64 E£1,175

14.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$2.91 E£151

35.05%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$88.1 E£4,572

251.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$1,883 E£97.7K

216.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$27.67 E£1,436

112.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$47.99 E£2,491

-32.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$111 E£5,747

-7.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$50.0 E£2,596

116.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$190 E£9,866

150.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$98.4 E£5,106

285.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$305 E£15.8K

174.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$178 E£9,214

307.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$137 E£7,116

273.26%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dahab: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $190 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 273% 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: $188 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 123%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $683 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $455 in Dahab. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $88.1 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 $455, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.