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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $456 in Dahab, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $760 in Dahab, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,064 in Dahab, rent included.

Medellin costs about 268% more than Dahab, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Dahab is 67% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$3.81 E£199

110.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$13.60 E£708

251.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$4.73 E£246

109.09%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$1.62 E£84.5

93.21%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.46 E£23.85

315.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.27 E£14.14

459.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$1.89 E£98.3

65.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$2.40 E£125

139.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$0.98 E£51.1

46.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.14 E£59.3

118.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$0.75 E£39.06

136.00%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$1.32 E£68.9

124.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$10.60 E£552

-5.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$3.75 E£195

169.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$10.56 E£550

35.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$2.26 E£118

83.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.48 E£76.9

8.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$0.66 E£34.17

240.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$0.60 E£31.11

275.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$0.57 E£29.68

257.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$0.56 E£29.17

175.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.84 E£43.70

39.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.20 E£10.27

555.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$1.57 E£81.8

148.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$6.95 E£362

101.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.67 E£87.0

4.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.16 E£8.43

662.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$7.85 E£409

925.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$0.75 E£39.00

74.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$0.47 E£24.46

191.49%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$18.67 E£972

849.65%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$6.64 E£346

109.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$18.07 E£941

64.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$15.71 E£818

185.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$9.80 E£510

74.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$4.96 E£258

34.07%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$195 E£10.2K

444.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$130 E£6,785

408.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$520 E£27.1K

262.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$324 E£16.9K

216.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$137 E£7,149

393.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Dahab: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $195 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 394% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $14.00 in Dahab. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $168 – 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 268%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $684 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $456 in Dahab. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $14.00 in Dahab. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dahab, where all-in costs run around $456, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.