😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,716 in Medellin versus $325 in Damietta.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,527 in Medellin versus $549 in Damietta.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,338 in Medellin versus $773 in Damietta.
🌍Living in Medellin is roughly 428% more expensive than in Damietta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% above, Damietta is 76% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Damietta
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.03COP 25.1K
$4.02E£204
99.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.26COP 151.0K
$11.85E£602
307.26%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.77COP 30.6K
$4.85E£246
101.44%
Cappuccino
$2.91COP 9,107
$1.15E£58.6
153.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94COP 6,082
$0.32E£16.06
506.25%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52COP 4,760
$0.11E£5.79
1281.82%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09COP 9,676
$1.34E£68.1
130.60%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.74COP 18.0K
$3.01E£153
90.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Damietta
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.36COP 4,267
$0.69E£35.12
97.10%
White Bread(500g)
$2.39COP 7,470
$0.34E£17.40
602.94%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.70COP 5,321
$0.62E£31.32
174.19%
Eggs
$2.87COP 8,979
$1.17E£59.6
145.30%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.94COP 31.1K
$1.86E£94.7
434.41%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.78COP 33.7K
$2.94E£149
266.67%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.73COP 46.1K
$8.56E£435
72.08%
Apples(1kg)
$4.09COP 12.8K
$1.42E£72.4
188.03%
Banana(1kg)
$1.57COP 4,917
$0.61E£31.24
157.38%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.13COP 6,651
$0.37E£19.05
475.68%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.21COP 6,926
$0.36E£18.23
513.89%
Potato(1kg)
$2.05COP 6,404
$0.27E£13.79
659.26%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50COP 4,706
$0.22E£11.15
581.82%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.19COP 3,723
$0.26E£13.21
357.69%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.16COP 3,623
$0.20E£10.15
480.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.90COP 12.2K
$2.03E£103
92.12%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.44COP 45.2K
$5.76E£293
150.69%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58COP 4,955
$1.30E£66.3
21.54%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83COP 8,847
$2.03E£103
39.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Damietta
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.17COP 3,655
$0.10E£4.93
1070.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$77.7COP 243.2K
$4.27E£217
1720.37%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.28COP 4,019
$0.41E£20.66
212.20%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.09COP 6,546
$0.31E£15.78
574.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.62COP 27.0K
$0.41E£20.61
2002.44%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.30COP 4,061
$0.39E£19.59
233.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7KCOP 86.5M
$24.6KE£1.2M
12.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.5KCOP 111.1M
$28.4KE£1.4M
25.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Damietta
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$176COP 550.9K
$14.41E£732
1121.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37COP 41.8K
$6.45E£328
107.29%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.89COP 93.5K
$13.73E£698
117.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Damietta
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.76COP 140.0K
$18.91E£961
136.70%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.06COP 53.4K
$6.49E£330
162.87%
Cinema Ticket
$6.20COP 19.4K
$2.92E£148
112.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Damietta
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$793COP 2.5M
$36.72E£1,866
2060.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,019COP 28.2M
$968E£49.2K
831.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Damietta
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.6COP 267.8K
$14.84E£754
476.89%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.5COP 182.9K
$26.48E£1,346
120.81%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$136COP 426.4K
$78.1E£3,971
74.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103COP 322.6K
$19.36E£984
432.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Damietta
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,060COP 3.3M
$33.99E£1,727
3017.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$680COP 2.1M
$21.89E£1,112
3004.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,012COP 6.3M
$116E£5,904
1631.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,169COP 3.7M
$84.8E£4,308
1278.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,111COP 12.9M
$987E£50.2K
316.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,701COP 5.3M
$684E£34.8K
148.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Damietta
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$665COP 2.1M
$130E£6,626
410.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.94
8
36.75%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026
Last update for Damietta: September 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,060 in Medellin and $33.99 in Damietta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Medellin pays 410% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $12.00 in Damietta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $104 per month, with Damietta 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 Damietta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Damietta?
Damietta wins on cost – living expenses run 428% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Damietta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Medellin or in Damietta?
Average pay runs 410% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Medellin compared to Damietta?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,060 in Medellin versus $33.99 in Damietta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Medellin compared to Damietta?
All in, you'll spend $1,716 per month in Medellin versus $325 in Damietta – a 428% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Medellin compared to Damietta?
A monthly transit pass in Damietta runs roughly 1720% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Medellin or in Damietta?
At $325 in Damietta versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Damietta but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Damietta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Medellin or Damietta?
Both work as nomad bases, but Damietta delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $325 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Damietta hard to pass up.
How safe is Medellin compared to Damietta?
Safety-wise, Medellin and Damietta are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Damietta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 428% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.